Baby, We gotta Go!
by CLEBABE
Summary: Stephanie find herself in a little bit of a predicament. Instead of facing it head on and dealing with the backlash, she just does what she does best. She retreats to the land of denial and disappears. Mrs Plum cupcake friendly BABE, M for mature content and language.
1. Chapter 1

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

"SHIT! Shit, shit, SHIT!"

"OW! God Dammit!"

My name is Stephanie Plum, and I'm currently staring at my toenail turning purple, which was just stubbed on my ugly hand me down coffee table, in my dated late 50's era ,one bedroom apartment ,just outside the Burg.

The coffee table is just one more thing to remind me how my life really is just a hot mess. Literally. My apartment was fire bombed and pretty much everything in my living room went up in flames. Hence the whatever decades old coffee table.

I mean the creepy stalkers, whack jobs, and Italian mobsters who like to break-in, firebomb, and leave dead bodies in my apartment were part of that problem, but I can't blame all my messes on them. The mess I'm currently in, I'm having a hard time placing blame on someone else and using "It's Not My Fault!".

Denial land is also not allowing me entrance. Bastards.

No. My current mess is allllll my fault.

Well, mostly my fault.

50% my fault really, if I think about it.

The more I think and allow myself to rationalize and absolve myself from any wrong doing I scream out, "Ya know what. This is all HIS fault!"

I look at Rex as he pops his little whisker clad face out of his soup can and look up at me, probably wondering why I'm screaming at the top of my lungs, much less why the hell am I awake at 7AM.

He damn well knows I've been up since 5 because there was no way he didn't hear me throwing up my vital organs all morning. Or the last 3 mornings for that matter.

I was all warm and snuggly in bed, dreaming of Ranger covered in Boston Cream. Like that scene from that movie Varsity Blues where the hot blonde comes out in a whip cream bikini.

Yeah. Like that. Only a mocha skinned, hard muscled, sex God covered in delicious custard all for the purpose of me to lick off.

Right as I was about to run my tongue along the sweet concoction covered abs that I'm pretty sure were actually chiseled out of marble, I was jolted out of my dream by the excess saliva in my mouth and cold sweats.

I barely made it to the bathroom in time to heave up the Cold leftover Pizza I ate from my fridge last night.

This has become somewhat of a morning ritual for me this past few days. And I don't like mornings to begin with. Add in violent, sudden bursts of nausea and I'm just a pissed off honey badger.

I limp over to my new K Cup coffee maker I splurged on when I actually had money and make myself a cup of sweet, sweet liquid bliss.

Only today it no longer smells like the morning elixir sent from the Gods. No. Now it smells like rotting bitter feet. The putrid smell sends me right back to the porcelain throne to dry heave the water and mouth wash from 2 hours prior.

As I hang my head against the toilet seat Im incredibly thankful is not only clean, but mine, I look over to the mess I made on the floor this morning after rushing to the drug store at 5:45.

The good thing about going to the drug store at 5:45 AM is there is no one there. No one to report back to my mother or grandmother or Morelli about what Im buying.

Pink and blue boxes, wrappers, instructions just scattered all over the green tiled floor. Different brands all promising to be the best, giving results the soonest, the most accurate, blah blah blah.

$97 worth of drugstore and name brand tests scatters across every counter, bath tub ledge, and sink.

And they all same the wrong result. Doesn't matter if its 2 lines, a plus symbol, or a digital readout.

Pregnant

Shit.


	2. Chapter 2

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

This is a very long chapter, which most probably wont be. I know the first was a little short but I really felt like the two needed to be broken up a little bit, And this chapter couldn't be broken up.

Ill try to write more when I can, but I wont promise an update every week or 2nd full moon of the month or whatever. Were not making any money here so really when I get to it ill get to it. Lol Enjoy and Sorry I guess.

**DOS**

As I lay there staring at my fate on the bathroom floor in the fetal position I hear the locks on my door start to tumble.

Now there's a slew of people who have broken in, picked my locks, or just have an actual Key. But 75% of those people aren't going to be doing a B&E on my apartment at 7:30 in the morning. And I don't think I've pissed off any local mobsters or crazies lately to warranty them actually breaking in.

Then again, I suppose ya never know.

No. There's only 2 people who could possibly be here right now and the thought of either of them catching me on the bathroom floor surrounded by 15 pregnancy tests all showing a big POSITIVE is causing my heat to jump into my throat.

The sounds sends me into a flurry of motion. Slamming the bathroom door and scurrying around on my hands and knees to pick up all the incriminating evidence. I'm shoving wrappers and tests into the little garbage can as fast as I can.  
I stop for half a second and try to listen though my ragged breathing and raging heartbeat. I don't hear any steps inside the apartment. So that narrows down the 2 people in my apartment to 1.

Bad. This is very, very bad.

Ya see, those 2 people are my on again, off again boyfriend of the last few years, Joe Morelli. Joe is a Trenton Police Detective who gets moved around between Vice and Homicide. He's Italian, movie star sexy with hair that's always just slightly too long and whiskey brown eyes that you could get drunk on.

Though we've known each other our entire lives, growing up in the small tight knit community of Chambersburg, we had a rocky start to an actual relationship. Between the childhood game in his father's garage and the one night, virginity loosing sexcapade on the Tasty Pastry bakery floor, that ended with him writing all over town about how "sweet I tasted", I thought running him over with my father's Buick was a pretty good idea. I managed to escape any kind of criminal charges by the grace of God. The chief of police being a good family friend probably didn't hurt either.

After capturing him as my first Failure To Appear when I blackmailed my sleazy cousin Vinnie into giving me a job as a bond apprehension agent, we started seeing more of each other and eventually he pinned me to his bathroom counter and gave me one hell of an orgasm. After that it was pizza, ball games, sex and arguments. Were Italian. Italians are loud and feisty and stubborn. And we wave our hands around a lot. So we usually argue about something stupid, knock stuff over while yelling and then have great makeup sex 2 weeks later. Rinse. Lather. Repeat.

We've been off for a while. We got in a little fight over peanut butter or me not quitting my job or some other crap that I can't even remember anymore, Since we've gone through this so many times. He broke up a while back for blaming me for his constant heartburn. Only to reconnect because he found it was medically not my fault. Joe's entrance into my apartment are usually harmless, sometimes pretty damn exciting, but his size 10 sneakers on my floor make at least a bit of sound.

The second person it could possibly be is Ranger. Ranger is dangerously sleek, silent, and black clad sex. Like the human form of a panther. His footsteps leave no trace or sound. I usually don't even hear him turn the lock when he comes over. He just appears like smoke. I'm not a hundred percent sure he's really even human. More like a Cuban batman. Or Captain America, experimented on to be superhuman in the Army. He WAS a Ranger, so that theory isn't totally off the table yet.

Ranger has been my mentor / boss / friend for a few years now. We met thought Connie, the office manager of the bail bonds office where I now attempt to bring in people who skipped their court dates and are now fugitives. I was green to say the least, and thank God Connie took pity on me and called in a favor to have Ranger attempt to train me. Over the years we've had a few pretty fantastic nights together here and there but nothing more than a friends with benefits kinda situation. Ranger doesn't do relationships. Or marriage, or kids, or even a lot of emotion really. He's pretty closed off but for some reason has allowed me into bits and pieces if his personal life.

He thinks I'm amusing.

We have a tumultuous relationship, but it works for us, sometimes. A few years back someone attempted to pose as him and kidnap his daughter from a previous relationship. Bad idea for them, right? He saved the day, well really Julie his daughter did, but he got shot, and my world shattered instantly.

That's when I knew I was in love with him.

But I also loved Joe.

Now both men for some odd reason love me too. Joe wants to marry me and ranger loves me like a cute kitten that climbs up too high in a tree and needs rescued.

I need rescued a lot, so I guess this kinda works in my favor.

I've never told ranger I'm in love with him, but he knows I love him. He's admitted to loving me in an ass backwards kinda way. And there's always a BUT at the end. "I love you, in my own way"

I'm still not 100% sure what the hell that even means

Wouldn't matter if I did tell him though. The only thing that would change is that I would feel rejected and it would be a rather awkward situation and then I might lose my best friend.

No rings, just condoms. Ranger theory.

Condoms. Yeah. That thought brings me back to why I'm on the floor.

I finish throwing everything in the bag and toss it into the bathtub behind the curtain just as there a knock on the bathroom door.

I take a deep breath, check myself in the mirror. HOLY CRAP! Didn't think it was possible for my morning to get worse, but that THING looking back at me is scary.

I open the door and step out to Ranger sitting in "his" chair in the corner of my bedroom. I stopped using it as a laundry basket years ago just because he likes to sit there. In the middle of the night. And watch me sleep. And no, he's actually not one of my stalkers.

"YO" I squeak out, using his greeting trying to sound as normal as possible.

"Lookin' a little green there babe"

"Well good morning to you too" getting a little defensive.

"You feeling ok? Thought you'd still be in bed" He says as he looks me over from head to toe.

Ranger is incredibly perceptive. I'm totally screwed.

"Fine. Probably just some too many days old pizza" lying my ass off, hoping it works.

"I know you don't like mornings, but I don't have a whole lot of time before my flight"

"How long?" I feel myself getting sadder by the second. He's going away again. He doesn't need to tell me, I can feel it. I can feel the way he pulls away from me right before he leaves to go into the wind.

He seems to sense the sadness in my voice and comes over and wraps his arms around me, pressing me into him.

"To be determined" He says with an unusual hint of emotion in his voice. Ranger doesn't do emotion. He does blank faces and vague statements. He's been letting me in more and more, little by little, the last year or two. I'm not certain it's on purpose, or if it's merely accidental on his part. Whatever it is, I'll take whatever I can get.

We sit there in silence for a minute or two, Ranger's arms wrapped around my shoulders, mine gripping the back of his shirt. I finally look up at him and can almost see sadness and something else in his eyes. Something I can't quite identify. The longer I look the darker they get. Soon they are almost the color of obsidian as he slowly leans down to kiss me.

What starts off slow and sweet becomes deeper and more passionate. His hands roam my body as he slowly leans me back onto the bed. Thankful the nausea seems to have passed for the time being, the thoughts of everything I was feeling 10 minutes prior completely forgotten.

Ranger takes the spaghetti straps of my tank top and slides them down my arms. He then slides the whole tank top down my waist, down to my shorts, and slides everything off in one smooth motion. He leans down to take my breast in his mouth and my nipple stands to attention at the feel of his warm tongue.

He reaches behind his head with one arm and in one quick smooth motion his shirt is off and on the floor. He's not in his usual utility belt but still has his Glock 19 tucked between the small of his back and the waistband of his cargoes. He takes the 9mm and places it on the floor right next to the bed as I unbutton and slide the zipper down. They hit the floor and expose his sans boxer clad lower half in spectacular fashion.

The movements aren't rushed, but it's not a slow and steady pace either. I have no idea how much time Ranger really has till he has to leave but I'll enjoy every second as thoroughly as I can before he does.

My hands roamed his abs to his lower back as he kissed and lightly bit the spot between my shoulder and collarbone. I could feel myself being more ready for him than I've ever been before. His left hand cupped my breast and when he squeezed I stilled slightly from the pain.

That's never hurt before I thought. OMG HOW COULD I FORGET ALREADY!?

I gasped at the thought that I was now completely naked underneath Ranger and somehow, even though I know it didn't make sense and there was no physical evidence of change, he would somehow know.

Ranger must not be on his game today because instead of stopping, the gasp seemed to fuel his desires as he gripped my hair in his right hand and plunged deep inside me in one stroke. Stilling for just a minute to allow me to adjust, my body already on fire and the burn was just getting deeper and more intense.

I've never felt as wet before as I do right now and the emotions and physical pain and pleasure are providing me with the fuel to forget everything except Ranger's body inside of mine. He starts to move and everything but me and him, fall away. The fire is building faster and more intense, my eyes are closed concentrating on the physical pleasure. My Hands are wrapped one around the back of his shoulder, one on his lower back, using it to push him harder and deeper into me.

I can feel my muscles starting to tighten and my breathing is getting more erratic as Ranger untangles his hand from my hair and cups the side of my face. He gently but sternly calls my name "Stephanie"

"Stephanie, look at me" and I look directly into his face and his eyes and there is no remnant of his blank face. For the first time I can actually see the love he feels for me written all over his face. I also see sadness because he's leaving but it's shadowed by love, happiness, and the ecstasy.

"Look at me when you cum"

"Carlos" I moan out in ragged breaths. I've never called him by his given name before and I don't know why I did it now, but it sets off something primal inside of him as he grabs the back of my thigh, pushing it, and himself forward even harder. I concentrate on him while I cum, feeling the excess wetness, heat, and muscle spasms take over the lower half of my body as the rest of me feels slightly lightheaded.

I can't take my eyes off him as I watch his facial expressions change, his shoulders tense, and a ragged moan escapes his throat. It sounds more like a growl, as I feel him cum while I hold him deep inside me. He covers me completely with his body as his movements slow and kisses me passionately.

After a few minutes he buries his head into the crook of my neck and sighs. He kisses me one last time before pulling out and I feel a sudden loss deep within me at the loss of the connection. He gets up and sits on the edge of the bed, shoulders slumped, head down, looking more defeated than I ever though It was possible for him to look.

He won't say anything, but I know this one is bad. Wherever he's going, whatever he's doing has him feeling like maybe he won't come back. My heart is sinking that I don't know, and even if I asked I know he wouldn't be able to tell me. I wrap a sheet around my body and sit up onto my knees, draping my arms over his shoulders, my chest to his back, gently rubbing his chest.

He grabs and holds my hands in his after a few moments and kisses the inside of each of my palms. Looks at me with this look in his eyes, feeling like I'm the only one in the world to matter to him. I feel tears start to burn at the backs of my eyes and I'm trying like hell not to cry.

The hormones win out and tears slip down my face, splashing wet spots onto Ranger's shoulder. He takes his thumb as wipes away the tears while kissing my eye on the other side. He leans his forehead into mine and takes a deep breath.

"I can't tell you anything, but I really wish I could this time. I don't know how long I'll be gone for. But you know everything I have is yours until I return. If you need help, a job, a place to stay. I have a building full of men instructed to give you whatever you want. And I stocked up on a few cars just for you. Try not to blow them ALL up."

Ranger humor. It makes me laugh but I'm also crying so it comes out sounding more like a hiccup.

He gets up and starts to redress and I just sit on the bed, covered in a sheet watching him. After he pulls his shirt back over his head, and re-secures the Glock in his back he leans down and grabs my face between both hands. He rests his forehead against mine again as he whispers quickly and softly,

"Te llevo en mi Corazon. Eres mi vida. Lo eres todo para mi. Me muero por ti."***

With that, Rangers kisses me one last time, gets up and starts to walk out of the room. My heart clenches as I fear I may never see him again. My pulse is racing and I'm thinking a million miles a minute about what to say or what to do. I know I can't beg him to stay. He can't and it's not fair of me to make him feel guilty for not staying. If I don't tell him how I feel about him now I may never get the chance to again. I watch as he walks out the bedroom door and starts down the hallway.

"Ranger, I…"

He just stares at me sitting on the bed looking like a dumbfounded goldfish trying to figure out what to say. I almost told him I was pregnant. But I don't want to put that kind of hurt onto him right before he leave to God knows where. I'm trying to tell him I love him, but the words just won't come out.

"I…I….I wanted to say before…"

I can't seem to speak and the tears are flowing down my face faster than I can wipe them away. Ranger just looks at me and smiles. Not quite the 200 watt, but the half grin sweet smile that melts every part of me.

"Don't go crazy Babe."

"Don't get shot."

And he's gone. Just as quietly as he came in. I don't even hear the door open and close this time. I crawled into the fetal position, naked covered in a sheet and bawled my eyes out for hours until I fell asleep.

***You are in my heart. You are my life. You are everything for me. I die for you.


	3. Chapter 3

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

**TRES**

**I **woke up again with a raging headache and the sun high in the sky. I looked over at the digital readout on the clock while squinting from the brightness of the midday sun. 11:30.

Ranger being gone again, with no estimated time back, was making me feel sick all on its own. I knew he would probably be on a plane by now, headed to who knows where, to do who knows what. And I laid in bed for a while replaying the morning over and over in my head, wondering if he was up there doing the same.

I really need to learn Spanish.

After another 20 minutes of self-loathing I decided to get up. I needed a shower. After walking into the bathroom and inspecting my toe again, which is looking worse by the hour, I knew running after criminals was going to be a challenge today.

As I opened the shower curtain to turn it on, my bag of contraband was staring back at me in the face.

Crap.

Denial land had finally allowed me entrance and I was dammed if I was giving up my season pass now. I collected the bag, making sure I didn't miss a test, or wrapper, or even a sliver of a box top before putting it into another bag of garbage and sealing it up nice and tight. I would personally take it down to the dumpster and make sure no one could ever, ever, possibly see what was in that bag.

I got in the shower and allowed the hot water to rinse myself and the steam to try and relax me. All it did was cover it the tears flowing down my face. I started breaking down and slid down the cold tiled shower wall till I was sitting in the bottom of the tub, knees to my chest with wracking sobs.

I was crying for Ranger, myself, this baby. Everything that had happened in the last 24 hours hit me like a ton of bricks and I couldn't stop it now if I wanted to. The shower was my safe space. Where I could go and cry and break down and no would could hear or see me.

My Catholic upbringing raged against any thoughts of me even thinking about terminating the pregnancy. The Burg upbringing told me my life was going to be ruined. No man would ever want me again. I would be tossed out and considered an ineligible suitor for the sons of Trenton. My mother's words ringing in my ears like nails on a chalkboard.

"Why can't you just marry Joseph and settle down and have a nice family?"

"This isn't the kind of job a wife and mother should have"

The fact that she was right started giving me a full blown anxiety attack. I couldn't chase after fugitives now. I was horrible at this job and constantly hurt myself. I rolled in garbage, got thrown off fire escapes and bridges, stalked, kidnapped, beaten. I couldn't in good conscience go out and attempt any of the things I did before knowing it wasn't just my life on the line anymore. I was bringing an innocent soul into my messed up dangerous world.

It was a shock, a surprise, unplanned sure. But that didn't mean I would try to hurt it. I knew right then and there that I had to give up my denial land season pass. I couldn't go about my business thinking everything was normal when it sure as hell wasn't. What if someone pushed me down the stairs again? That's happened a dozen times before. Usually I just land on my ass, have a bruise here or there for a week or so and go about my day. But now I could kill my child if something like that happens. And my carelessness would have caused it.

I'm not sure I could live with that.

But I'm barely making rent now. I live off peanut butter and olive sandwiches on dollar store white bread or mooch dinner off my parents. And I live in a one bedroom apartment. Where the hell would it sleep? I can't afford this, I don't know how to take care of a child. I've taken care of Val's girls before, but by that point they were older and could verbally tell me what they needed. If I can't work how will I pay rent. I'll have to get a job at the button factory or feminine products plant. I'll be miserable. I'll be shunned by the Burg, everyone around me, Ill have to move in with my parents and share a bathroom with my Dad and grandma Mazuer!

I was spiraling. Big time. I was having a full blown panic attack and I couldn't bring myself down. I know the hyperventilating wasn't good for the baby, but thinking about it and calling it a baby seemed to make it worse.

I don't know how long I sat in the bottom of my bathtub, the water had started to turn cold. Even then I still couldn't bring myself to get up. I was turning purple and shaking and I couldn't regulate my breathing.

I heard a knock on my front door and finally snapped out of it. I shifted my weight onto the balls of my feet and attempted to stand up only to have a sharp pain shoot up my left leg.

"Stupid coffee table!" I shouted, staring at the full blown purple and black nub on my foot.

The knocking started louder

"Hold on a Damn minute!"

I grabbed my big fluffy bath robe off the back of the bathroom door and threw my soaking wet hair in a towel and hobbled to the front door. I know I should look through the peephole before opening, but my mind wasn't exactly in the right frame right now.

"WHAT?!" I screamed as I flung the front door open.


	4. Chapter 4

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

**Quatro**

"Heeeellllllooooo Gorgeous!"

"Why are you here? And why are you in such a good mood?"

"I was told to bring you Boston Creams, French fries, and Coke." Lester said all giddy while sticking out his hands with multiple bags in them.

"That doesn't explain why you're in such a happy go lucky mood"

"I was also told to quote "not make you sad""

Ranger. He knew I would be upset and hungry and would want my favorite morning foods. He also knew I would not want Tank showing up at my door.

"I'm not hung over though."

"I couldn't get my hands on a pineapple upside down cake this early. Ella is making one for desert with tonight's dinner of Pino's meatball subs"

Yep. That did it. I broke down again. I gripped the front door trying to keep myself upright on one leg as I ugly cried about donuts and cake.

"Hey, Beautiful, it's all right. Ranger knows what he's doing. He'll be back in no time at all bringing you junk food while he tells you how bad it is for you." Lester cooed to me while helping me hobble to the couch. The towel had fallen off my head and my wet hair was a wild mess hanging all over my face.

"I know. It's just been a really rough morning" I cried and I wiped my face with the sleeves of my bathrobe.

"What happened to the toe?"

"Coffee table"

"Can I take a look?"

I just nodded while reaching for some hot greasy French fries and shoving a whole handful into my mouth at once.

"OW!" I nearly spit out half of them

"Steph, this doesn't look good. Did you do this this morning?"

"Yeah, about 7."

"You were awake at 7am?" Lester looks at me incredulously.

I stuck my tongue out at him after swallowing the handful of fries.

"This needs to be X-Rayed. It could just be a stubbed toe, but I think you might have a break"

"I'm sure its fine" I blew it off.

"But if it's not…" Lester drawled on.

"If it's not better in a few days I'll have Bobby check it out. OK?"

"Gonna be a difficult one there, Bobby got called up with Ranger" Well Shit. Here come the flood works again. Bobby and I aren't particularly close, but I would still consider him a friend. And thanks to him and Rangeman, I've avoided going to the hospital countless times.

"Les, how bad is this one?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I have pretty high clearance and even I can't get access to the file. Tank neither. It's deeply classified. It could be something simple and quick or Hell and drag on for a year. I don't know on this one. And I think that might make it worse." He said solemnly. Lester is rarely serious, but when he is, you shut up and listen.

I've learned a lot about Lester and the bandit of Merry Men over the last few years. They all have soft, teddy bear like hearts, surrounded by fire hardened steel. Some hide emotions with blank faces and short answers like Ranger and Tank, and others make jokes like Bobby and Lester. Some are shy like Hal and Ram. They all have their own battle armor. Most I can see right through. Others took a little prodding.

"We've called in a temporary medic to Rangeman till Bobby gets back. She'll be here this afternoon."

"SHE?"

"Yeah, SHE. Why is that weird?"

"I've never seen a woman work at Rangeman before."

"Ella?"

"Ella doesn't count. Ella isn't like an employee, she's more the building Grandma."

"YOU work at Rangeman all the time."

"Hmm, ok. So I guess that's true."

"Yeah, and it looks like you might be working there more often than not in the coming weeks" Lester said, looking down at my toe again.

"My toe is fine!"

"If you can put your boots on and walk across this room I WONT drag you to Rangeman for an Xray"

I gave him my best Burg glare, but Lester has become immune to it. He just smiled at me. Smug little bastard.

Fine, two can play this game.

Thankfully my boots were still beside the couch where I had taken them off last night so I grabbed the right one first putting it on easily. I loosened up the laces more than usual on the left before gingerly sliding my foot into it. It hurt like hell and I could feel the pressure on the steadily swelling toe.

Trying my best not to show how badly it hurt, I laced up the boot and looked at Lester.

"See? All good."

"Walk. To the front door, or the bedroom, which ever you prefer." He said waggling his eyebrows. Les was a shameless flirt, but never once tried anything. Now that I think about it, I've seen him flirt with almost everything female, but never actually BE with anyone.

Seeing this as my excuse to prolong the walk that will surely kill my career, I asked him "Les, when was the last time you had a girlfriend, not like a one night stand, but an actual relationship?"

"Why would you ask that?" He asked a little defensively.

"Well I was just thinking, you flirt with everything, but I can't think of a time where I actually saw you with a woman. You've never made mention of any past girlfriends or interests…"

"I don't play for Hectors team if that's what you're asking." It wasn't widely known, but to the people fairly close to Hector, he didn't keep his sexuality a secret.

"I knew that already"

"So why are you asking?" He just sat there looking at me. He wasn't the joking Les we all knew and loved, there was sadness and remorse and anger in his face now. Kinda scared me actually. I feel like I just opened a door I really shouldn't have. One that brought back memories that caused Lester physical pain. I instantly felt awful.

"Les, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it. I was just curious. I'm sorry"

"Touchy subject. Sorry. I didn't mean to get testy with you" Les said sorrowfully. We sat there for a second before Lester looked up at me and said, "Now Walk."

Damn Rangers and their inability for forget even the smallest detail. Rangers, o that made me think some more.

"You, Bobby, Tank, and Ranger were all Rangers right? That's how you met?"

"Stop stalling, I'll tell you all the stories you want as we drive back to Haywood and while waiting for your XRays to develop." Crap

I instantly had a thought. This could be my way out. I knew I couldn't chase down bad guys anymore but if I just abruptly stopped everyone would wonder why. If I had a busted toe I had an excuse, for at least a few weeks, to figure out a plan.

"Fine." I started walking and the pain instantly shot all the way up my leg. I stumbled and fell back onto the couch after only 2 steps. I made no effort to hide the pain this time, but I didn't exaggerate it either.

Les just looked up at me, pulled out his phone, and waited.

"What time is Jess getting in? Tell her her first patient is none other than the infamous Bombshell and we'll be there at 1600."He ended the call while saying to me "Her flight doesn't land till 1430, so you can either come back to Rangeman with me now, work on some searches, or we can come back and get you at 1530.

"You guys still call me Bombshell?" I never liked that name. Made me feel like I was a weapon of mass destruction. Which I suppose to the Burg, I was. I've blown up more cars than a demolition derby and the funeral home, though it wasn't my fault, sure make quite the light show.

"Not really. We sensed you didn't like it a while back so we all stopped. But Jess has heard the stories, so that's what she will know you by at first."

That actually made me feel a bit closer to Rangers men, even though he wasn't here. They noticed something bothered me and stopped. You think Joe would be able to take a freaking hint when I actually TELL him I don't like something and he should stop, but noooo.

"CRAP!" I had totally forgotten about Joe. Stupid Joe and his clean peanut butter. I was going to have to confront him eventually but today was NOT that day.

"You alright?" Less is looking at me confused.

"Yeah, I just forgot about something. Don't worry about it. I'll go get dressed and go back to Haywood with you now. I can run some searches and try to make some rent money since I won't be going after any skips today."

Les grabbed some French fries, put his boots up on my coffee table, and leaned back on the couch. "Need some help?" he drawled in his "sexy" voice.

"I think I can manage putting my pants on, thanks."

I hobbled into my bathroom to clean up a bit more. Trash. What was I gonna do about this trash. I left it on the bathroom floor for a minute as I fixed my hair, grabbed some clean black jeans and Rangeman hoodie. Shoes. What was I gonna do about shoes?

It was mid-September, so It wasn't cold and snowing, but It wasn't sandal weather either. I'd be inside for the day so I figured it would be fine.

"Ya know Ranger used to wear flip flops? Like everywhere that didn't require actual shoes." Les said as he heard me flopping down the hall.

"Ranger? In flip flops?" I asked unbelievingly.

"Yeah, was annoying as hell." He laughed. That made me laugh. For the first time in probably 2 days I actually laughed.

"Ok, I'm ready to go." I had my messenger bag and the bag of well hidden evidence.

"Ill carry those for ya" Lester tried to be nice but in my head I was screaming NO! I knew I had hidden everything in there so well he wouldn't be able to see it, but It still had me nervous.

We took the elevator down to 1, less helped me into the truck, and he tossed the for mentioned bag into the dumpster. I watched carefully to make sure, it didn't catch on the side and spill my secrets all over the parking lot but Les had perfect aim. My secret safe for another day.

"Me and Ranger are cousins. You knew that already when you started asking 20 questions to get out of XRays. I know Ranger shuts people out, but If you ever have questions, feel free to ask me. I won't go into detail about a lot of stuff, and I won't betray his trust, but if you wanna know something I might be willing to help ya out." Les says to me with a sideway, sneaky glance.

"Why does he do that?" I ask. Ranger has his own reason, about his life being dangerous, he doesn't do relationships, blah blah blah. I have a feeling Lester's point of view on the subject may be slightly different.

"Shut people out?"

"Yeah. Sometimes I feel like he slips and tells me something personal, other times I feel like he tells me just to shut me up."

"You do talk a lot."

"And you're a smart ass a lot." I say in a joking manner.

"Ranger got into a bit of trouble as a kid. I know you already know this, so I guess its ok to tell you. He was sent to our Abuela's when he was a teenager, and I think he feels like his parents kinda gave up on him for a while. He knows and understand now, that wasn't the case. Tia and Tio love him, and wanted what was best for him, so that's why then sent him away from the gangs in Newark. I think a little of that abandonment issue stayed with him subconsciously though. He's never connected with a woman really. Rachel was a fling while on leave, but accidents happen."

I though yeah, I know that ALL too well, now.

"I think he even tried to connect with Rachel after they got married when they found out about the pregnancy. But he was getting deeper and deeper into classified OPS. One slip and someone could take out everything and everyone important to him. So he divorced Rachel, and started closing off everyone. He was never a big talker, even as a kid. So not much changed there. Always serious, too. Only time he ever play around is when Tequila is involved, and I don't think he's touched the stuff in at least 10 years."

"I would pay big money to see a drunk Ranger."

"He was a lot of fun." Les said smirking, thinking of some memory that I'm 100% positive he wouldn't share with me.

Les fobbed our way into the underground garage and helped me out of the truck. He set me up on five in my little cubby to run a stack of searches with a chair to prop my toe up on. I said Hi to the regular guys, everyone telling me they hope my foot is fine and I'll be back to blowing up cars in a few day.

I started running my search programs, and sat there staring at the screen thinking while they ran. I actually hope my foot is broken. This gives me an excuse to sit out of the game for a while. I hate taking a job from Rangeman sometimes, cause I feel like it's a pity job, but I need this right now and I don't know what else to do.


	5. Chapter 5

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

**CINCO**

I sat there staring at the computer monitor lost in thought. I was running through one scenario after another in my head. Telling my family, telling Joe and Ranger. Growing huge with the Burg eyes burning holes through me. None of it sounded like a good time.

Then it hit me. Why deal with any of it? Why not just leave. Start over somewhere. Somewhere warm and sunny, with the ocean and beaches. It would be just me and him. I don't know why I decided all of a sudden it was a him. But now I wanted him to have his father's eyes and my sense of adventure. I wanted him to live a life away from judgment because his Mom made a mistake.

I never wanted anyone to let him think he was a mistake. An accident. Which the Burg would surely do. I'd see it before, even with Val's girls. Val was married to Albert now, but before then they would give innocent little girls sideways glances and whisper under their breaths about how Lisa was a "whoopsie baby".

In the last 2 hours sitting at this desk I grew more overprotective of this tiny little being than I ever thought possible. I was never sure I wanted kids, but now that the decision was pretty much made for me, he was all I could think about.

I knew my little fantasy would never happen. I had no money. I had some skills but not enough to out run Ranger and his band of Merry Men. Joe would probably put out an ABP to every police department in the country. I could probably make it like a week before they finally tracked me down.

I didn't have the money to buy a new identity. I don't even know who I would call for that. Ranger knew people. Had the resources for that sort of thing. I was a blind squirrel searching for the nut. I would probably find it eventually, after stumbling around for God knows how long.

"You ready?" Les popped up into my cubicle scaring me out of mental ramblings.

"For what?" I was confused for a minute just staring at him. I totally forgot why I was here. I was so lost in thinking about playing on a beach with a little brown eyed boy in the sun and waves I didn't even think about my foot throbbing.

"You sure you didn't hit your head this morning, too?" Les looked at me confused.

"Sorry, just lost in thought. Let's go meet the newest RangeWoman."

Lester had snagged a crutch from somewhere for me and held it out for me.

"I knew the wheelchair wouldn't have been used anyways, so I thought we could compromise with a crutch." He knows me well.

"Thanks."

"Ya know Jess isn't really a "new" RangeWoman. She fills in whenever Bobby is out for whatever reason. I'm kinda surprised you haven't met her before."

"I've never seen another medic here other than Bobby."

"Jess was actually a medic in the Army too. She worked with us overseas, but since she's a woman, she wasn't considered for the Rangers program. Damn shame too, she's a hell of a soldier."

"I thought there were female Rangers?"

"NOW there are, that just started a few years ago though. You had to have recommendations to even be considered for the program. And when we were all coming up outta camps, most of our Captains and Majors were old school."

"So they would turn down a perfectly good medic because she didn't have a penis?" I was getting a little offended.

"Calm down now, Tiger. It's changing. And Jess is still one of the best." He leans in closer as we enter the medic office on the 3rd floor and whispers "Maybe even better than Bobby, but don't let him know I said that."

As I hobbled through the door and sat down on one of the chairs on the far wall, I looked around the room. It's been a while since I've found myself in here and things were a little different. It was now broken up into more like a doctor's office setting with no reception area.

The main room had a large sink basin, trash, medical waste containers, 2 computers with portable tablets, and a massive cabinet display on the right side wall with I assume everything you could possibly need stored in there.

There were 3 doors to the left, all of them left open. You could easily see inside they looked like a standard doctor's exam room but more basic. Just a doctor's exam table, a standing floor light. There were 2 large medical carts in the main room I assume they just rolled into the exam rooms to treat whatever needed treating. Cuts down on supplies needed I guess. Smart.

The 2 doors to the center of the main room were closed so I couldn't see inside them. But one had a small monitor on the outside of the door with a camera you could see inside. I could see more equipment on the monitor than in the other rooms but not what it was for. I could also see someone working around in the room on the monitor. I could see it was a woman, but couldn't see much detail.

After a second she walked out of the monitored room and greeted me and Lester with a huge smile. She was gorgeous. She was TALL. Like supermodel status.

She was probably about 5'11", mahogany skin, with hazel eyes. You could tell she was a bigger statured woman and was very, very fit. She wore black standard Rangeman cargo pants and tucked in black polo shirt.

I sat there in awe of her, as she and Les hugged, caught up on a few things really quickly and then turned to me.

"I'm sorry. I'm Jess. You must be the infamous Bomber?"

"Yep. That's me." I'll never escape that damn nickname.

"Or would you prefer Stephanie?" Jess asked me, picking up on the dislike of the name.

"Steph would be great, thanks."

"I've heard a lot about you from Pier…" She stopped abruptly and with a shake of her head continued, "Tank. I've heard a lot about you from Tank. All great, I promise."

"You know his real name?" I smiled

"Yeah, and I have a hard time calling him Tank when I come back to this office. He'll sit on me if he finds out I leaked his name."

I laughed for the second time today

"Sit..on..you?" I spat out between laughs

"Oh, you don't know? I thought since you knew his real name you would know. Big P is my brother."

"I had no idea. I mean I knew his real name, though. Tank doesn't share much." I said laughing. I like her already.

"Yeah, were just over a year apart in age. I followed him into the Army about 9 months after he enlisted. Family tradition for the men, I figured why can't I."

"That's awesome. I have so many questions!"

"He tries to keep that on the down low, doesn't want his badass rep getting tarnished by his little sister." Her laugh was contagious.

"Understood." I said smiling. I hope she stays. She is way more fun than Bobby already.

"I'm gonna tell him you said that." Lester chimed in.

"Out loud? I was getting so much better about doing that." I'm gonna get myself in a lot of trouble with that.

"Ok, Les tells me he thinks you might have a metatarsal break." She goes over to the computer and pulls one of the portable tables off the wall.

"A what break?" I asked confused.

"Sorry, a broken toe." She blushes slightly. "I get stuck using strictly medical terms at my regular job. Boring as hell. I can't tell you how happy I am to be back here." She genuinely smiled and seemed excited to be here.

"Yeah, I wish I could say it was on the job, but I ran into the coffee table this morning." I said looking down at my toe which appeared to look worse by the hour.

"Been there, done that." She says while booting up and typing on the tablet.

"Ok, First things first. You're the only Steph here so that makes finding your file easy enough. It's fairly updated as well so we can skip most of the formality questions. Wow, you've had a lot of superficial injuries the last few years." She's looking at the file history and he eyes go slightly wide.

"Yeah, I've had my fair share of mishaps on the job, not just off." I get a little self-conscious at all the "mishaps" I've had over the years.

"You've been shot multiple times?"

"None life threatening." I shrug, trying to play it off.

"Hey, no judgment here. I know you guys have a lot to deal with out in the field." She smiles at me. She makes me feel like one of the guys here. Not like an incompetent bounty hunter barely scraping by.

Lester's phone rings and he listens for a few minutes and hangs up.

"We got a call from an informant down on Stark that Antonio Del Marco is playing hide the sausage with a corner girl right now. We're gonna go snag him before he disappears again. Gotta go, Beautiful. Stay here after and I'll give you a ride home."

"I'll take her home, no big deal." Jess says to him

"Have fun." I say to Lester as he smiles a little evil and runs outta the room.

"Ok. Now that the boys are off to play. Let's get a better look at what's going on here."

She examines the toe, pokes and prods, asks me when it hurts. The usual. After a few moments she looks up with a worried look on her face, "Steph, I think this is broken on the MTP joint. That's the joint that connects the big toe to the rest of the bones in your foot. We're gonna need to do an Xray to be sure."

Crap. I was gonna have to go to St. Francis. They would ask questions. People would be there, reporting back to my mother.

"We don't have to go to the hospital for Xrays anymore. Bobby put in your file you hate the hospital, and they installed a small Xray machine here a few weeks back. We can't do a lot of major stuff, but breaks, sprains, etc we can all do in house now." She tells me reassuringly.

"Well that's a relief."

"Let's get you set up and snap a few pictures and see what's going on."

Jess leads me into the room with the monitor on the wall. I can easily see now the Xray equipment, similar to the hospitals, but a lot smaller, just above the big metal table.

"Go ahead, hop on up while I get everything ready. I've never actually used Rangeman's machine, so bear with me a minute."

As I sit on the table and swing my left foot onto the table, she's setting up the computer and aligning the machine right over my left foot.

"Ok, standard questions before an X ray. Do you have any underlying conditions that could affect the outcome of the Xray?"

As she went through the questions I just shook my head no, or said a simple "Nope"

"Are you currently pregnant or could you possibly be pregnant?" She just said matter of fact.

My eyes went wide. "Why would you ask that? Is that a standard question?!"

"Xrays emit a small amount of radiation, which can be harming to a fetus. If you think you might be pregnant Steph, I need to know before we take any images." Her voice is calm and soothing but it's not helping lower my heart rate.

"What if I am? I mean theoretically." Back track. Yeah. Maybe she won't get suspicious.

"If you were, theoretically, I would need to layer a few lead vests over you to protect the fetus while we do the Xray. We're not imaging any major organs or anything near your lower abdomen, so the risk is already low, and the apron will block any scattered rays. Or we can choose not to do the Xray at all, but I don't think that's wise right now."

I sit there on the table thinking, apparently for too long without responding and Jess says "And we do have physician–patient privilege, Steph. Anything you tell me I cannot, nor will I share, with anyone without your specific consent. I can even lock todays file in the system so Bobby can't see it when he gets back without my unlock code."

"What about Ranger? It's his company. Can he unlock it?"

"Not without my code. It's a medical file and we operate under different rules down here."

I take a deep breath. She pretty much already knows. My little outburst would have made her suspicious to begin with. I can't even manage to keep this secret for one whole damn day, how was I going to make it through 9 months?

"Gimmie the aprons" I tell her, and she goes to the storage closet and drapes 2 over my midsection without saying a word. I sit with my head down as she repositions the machine a few times, taking better angles. It only takes a few minutes.

She pulls up the images on the big monitor on the wall and looks them over.

"See that right there? That little crack?" I'm thankful she still hasn't brought anything up.

I nod my head yes. I can see it right there. Dark little hairline fracture right on my toe.

"What color cast would you like?" She asks me.

"Isn't there a boot I can wear or something? So I can still take a shower?"

"Yes, but…." She seems torn about if she should tell me something or not.

"Hey you know my secret, spill it." She seems to resign and takes a deep breath before saying "Your file says not to trust you with any doctor's orders regarding home care. You're known for ignoring orders to wear braces before. Steph, this isn't just a sprain this time, if you don't wear the boot and let this heal properly you could need surgery or have constant pain in your foot while walking for life."

Well that sounds fun. I'm a little pissed at Bobby for even putting that in the file. I'm having a hard time staying mad at him and being worried about him at the same time. I let out a big sigh and tell Jess, "I promise to wear the boot this time, for the whole duration as instructed if you promise to not tell anyone about, ya know."

"You can't go out in the field either, not just cause of the foot, but you're condition does not allow for the kind of work required to properly do your job."

"I know, I just don't know how I'm going to pay my rent."

"I thought you worked here?" She was confused

"Sometimes. Kinda like on call."

"Well according to the files you've been employed here for the last 3 years. Not a single gap in coverage."

"I have to talk to Tank. See If I _can_ work full time for a while."

"I guarantee he will." She said smirking while walking out of the x-ray room.

She knew something else.

"Ya know I did like you at first, but now I'm starting to change my mind." I yelled out into the office.

She came back a few seconds later with a medical boot in her hand. She rolled the stool over to me and gently set my foot on her knee while working to undo the boot.

"Tank has told me multiple times he's begged Ranger to hire you full time. You have amazing insights, computer, people, administrative skills, and he trusts you. He said Ranger would offer you a position and you would turn it down. When Ranger is on an OP, Tank has to run the building by himself. He's a soldier, not a business degree graduate."

"I don't want to let them down." I rely honestly.

"Why would you think that?" She questions. I take a minute to think and decide she already knows, might as well use her to talk to about it. She seems genuine and honest when she says she won't tell any of the guys.

"How much has anyone told you of Ranger and I's…affiliation?"

"O I know it all gurl! I know you both love each other and won't admit it. I know Tank has taken Ranger to the mats over some of the dumb shit he's said to you. I know you go back to some cop as a safety net to avoid rejection from Ranger."

I sat there dumbfounded. She knew everything. Like everything. Well except that Ranger didn't love me like that.

"Tank is a gossip." She smirks

That shocked me even more. Tank talks? To people?

"Well, he talks to me. And his cats." She laughs

The next thing I know, we've been talking in her office for over three hours. I tell her everything about Joe, Ranger, my family, the Burg. She genuinely listens and asks questions to get a better understanding of my life here. For the first time ever, I feel like someone is actually listening to me. No judgments, no taking sides who I should choose, just concern for me and my wellbeing.

"Steph, I don't agree with you just ghosting. But I can understand why you would feel like it's the best option. And you're totally right, Ranger or Joe or both would find you in a matter of weeks, if not days. You're not just thinking about you and your own life now though. And I know we don't really know each other, but I feel like we could be really good friends. I'd like to see you happy in any way I can help."

"Ghosting?" Never heard of that before so I was confused a bit.

"Ghosting? Disappearing without a trace. Like a ghost." She waved her hands around like a magician making something disappear.

"Ghosting, I like it."

"Life isn't easy, and do you really want to have this baby's father not involved in his life at all? I know you don't want to be a burg housewife, I think I get what you mean by that, but are you prepared for your kid to ask you in 10 years why they don't have a Dad? It sounds like Joe is fully prepared to have kids and be a provider, even if you aren't together. I will agree with you on Joe though. Your relationship is friends with benefits. You don't belong together and I think you got it right that that relationship is over. The neighborhood you grew up in is probably going to judge you forever. No matter what you do right to them they will always find a way for it to be wrong. Your Mom sounds like my Mom actually. Always trying to push her ways on us and thinks she knows what's best for us. Fiercely protective over you and your sister though, isn't she?"

"She did run someone over who was trying to kill me."

"Yeah, I'd say that qualifies as protective." Jess laughs.

I never really thought about my Mom that way. I loved her, and I knew she loved me, but she always tried to push me to be something I didn't want. But whenever it came down to brass tax, she really was just trying to protect me. Whether it be my reputation from the Burg busybodies, or an actual killer, she always did everything she could for me. She never even grounded me for running Joe over with the Buick, and still lets me borrow the cars when I need to.

I've had a lot of information today to process. Never in a million years would I ever think I would end up in this situation. And now I'm considering leaving it all and "ghosting".

"Steph, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But I think a major deciding factor in this decision is who the baby's father is. It sounds like you know, too."

I nod my head, "Yeah. I know. 100% for sure on that." And I know what that means I have to do too.

Right as I'm about to tell Jess who the poor unfortunate soul is and my final decision, Lester comes bouncing through the door to the office.

"Ready for dinner?!"


	6. Chapter 6

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

**SEIS**

"Dinner?" I had no idea it was so late. My stomach was in knots over the last 4 hours with Jess and I hadn't even realized I was hungry. That's new.

"Yeah, remember this morning I told you Ella was ordering in Pino's?" Les is looking at me confused. "You sure you didn't hit your head?"

"My head is fine, and I was promised meatball subs and pineapple upside-down cake."

"The food you remember." Lester rolls his eyes. He's the only one of the merry men I've ever seen do it. Though I have a feeling a lot of them do it behind my or Ranger's backs.

"Were eating at my place on 4, come-on Jess."

Lester and Jess helped me onto the elevator and out to his apartment on 4. Hector and Talk were already at the table with subs and salads. I didn't see the cake anywhere.

"Ella will bring it down in a bit. Chill"

I just glared at him while we all sat down and started distributing the subs and other sides. I don't think I've ever actually sat down for a meal with Tank. I've eaten pizza with Les and Hal, or got blackmailed into sharing my contraband snacks with him, but not many of the other guys.

"P, Steph's foot is busted and she needs to be in a boot for the next 6 weeks, give or take. This might be the perfect opportunity to get her in house." Jess started, looking over at Tank.

"Seriously? 6 weeks? In house?" Tank was looking excited. He almost never smiles, much less talks, but I can see his demeanor relax around the guys and his sister. I don't think he did that even with Lula.

"You can work in house for at least the next 6 weeks?!" He was staring at me wide eyed and a little crazy. I wasn't sure what to say to that. I looked over at Jess who just winked at me, like she had this plan and forgot to fill me in on it.

"Um, sure. I mean I guess, if you need my help with something while Ranger is gone." I sounded unsure even to myself. Tank lit up like a Christmas tree.

"I'm scared" I whispered to Hector. I could see Jess look at me sideways for even talking to Hector. I'm not sure if she heard me speak in English to him when it's widely known Hector only speaks Spanish, or because NO ONE speaks to Hector. Expect for the core team.

The truth is, I was out with Connie and Lula about a year ago when I was trying to locate Johnny Lebowitz. Johnny was a 24 year old spoiled brat who decided he didn't like his parents telling him to get a job, so he torched the family back yard with nail polish remover. Gallons of it. I still don't know where you even get that much nail polish remover.

When the bushes went up and melted the siding on the neighbor's house, Johnny got arrested for arson. Johnny parents refused to give him up, but the neighbor with the melted siding sang like a canary in a coal mine. Gave us all the details about little Johnny rotten working as a cage dancer at a new gay bar in Atlantic City.

As soon as Lula heard AC and GAY BAR, she hijacked the plan and the next thing you know, myself, Lula, and Connie were all in five inch FMPs and covered in glitter and hairspray going to the Cock Cage.

As much as I hated to admit it, the play on the name was clever, but I really had no interest in having fun while I was there. I just wanted to get Johnny out of his "cock cage" and haul his ass back to Trenton. Arson FTAs are worth a pretty penny. Enough to pay the rent on my hen house for at least 3 months.

As Connie and Lula were having a blast finding their new shoe shopping partners, I was standing at the bar looking for the fire bird. That's when I spotted a certain spicy Hispanic Merry Man dancing with some hot biker looking guy.

Watching the two of them was mesmerizing. They moved so fluently. Hector had a huge smile on his face. They said something to one another and moved towards the bar. I was off to the side and my hair was so big and covered in glitter I'm not sure I would even recognize myself in the neon lights.

I leaned against the bar as the two got drinks and flirted shamelessly. Hector was not only speaking English, but knew some pretty creative words. Hector looked up and directly at me. His eyes widened ever so slightly in surprise at seeing me and I gave him a cute little finger wave and a smile. His new "friend" was a little confused when he excused himself and walked over to me.

"What are you doing here?" He looked amused.

"Looking for Johnny Lebowitz. He's a cage dancer here, who's also a fire bug."

"You will tell no one." Hector can be scary sometimes, I've seen him look at men with a look that could make you pee yourself, but he never directed it at me. That look was always halfhearted towards me.

"About you being in "The Cock Cage" or that you speak exceptional English?" This was fun. I had something on Hector. It was my turn to play with fire and I was loving it.

"Both." He smiles slightly evil as he grabs me by the wrist and drags me onto the dance floor.

We danced all night long. It was one of the best nights I've had out and he helped me lure Johnny out of his cage and into the back seat of my car. Since then me and Hector have kept our friendship quiet. We go out to Princeton once a month for dinner just the two of us now. I'm not even 100% sure Ranger knows.

"No creo haber visto a Tank sonreír antes." Héctor said picking up on Jess looking at us. (I dont think I've ever seen Tank smile before..)

I had no idea what that ment. Even after a year of hanging out with Hector I still didnt know any more spanish than what was necessary to order lunch at TacoBell.

Everyone was eating and talking and having seemingly having fun. I was pretty quiet and lost in my own thoughts about Ranger and Bobby not being here, and my own mental ramblings about the baby and how I was going to handle everything that I didn't even notice Ella walk in with pineapple upside-down cake.

She placed the cake on the table and leaned down with her hands on my shoulders to whisper in my ear "He'll be back, hija. He always comes back".

I knew she was right. But I was also worried about what was going to happen when he did come back.

"One nice thing about Ranger and Bobby being gone. CAKE!" Tank said as he cuts a huge piece, even for my standards, and puts it onto a plate.

The look on my face must have been funny because Lester laughed at me and said "Bobby is the medic, the health nut. Ranger is the leader. Between the two of them we have the standards at Rangeman, but Tank didn't get this big eating, what do you call it? Twiggs and tree bark?"

"I love cake almost as much as you do Steph, but I know how to eat in moderation." Tank said around a mouthful of pineapple and sugar syruped cake.

"Yeah, that and the major predisposition to diabetes." Jess said next to him.

"Stupid genetics" Tank mumbles.

We all sat and ate cake and talked and it was great. It was making me have major doubts about ghosting outta Trenton. Maybe I could have a life here with a job I like and not have to worry about the Burg.

It was getting late and Jess offered to give me a ride home. I was thankful it was her and not Lester. I loved Les, but it's hard hiding things from them. Not just because they are so perceptive, but I feel awful for doing it.

Jess helped me to a fleet car and I directed her through the streets to my apartment building. I don't think I would miss this place. Well maybe a little. As we parked, Jess turned to look at me.

"Steph. I was thinking about everything we talked about. And I think you should give it some time before you make a final decision. I know how hard it is for someone when they decide to drop off the map. You're actually not the first friend I've had decide to do this. But that's just between me and you."

"Makes me feel a little better than I'm not the only one." I half-heartedly laughed.

"You need prenatal care. And soon. If you're getting morning sickness you're probably already 6 weeks or more pregnant. You know the timeline. You would know when you conceived. Look at a calendar. The first prenatal appointments are usually made around 8 weeks. You need to be taking vitamins and eating better. Exercising."

I made a face, which made Jess laugh "Exercising while pregnant helps ensure an easier pregnancy with less issues and an easier birth. I worked at a women's clinic for a while back when I first got out. I can help you out but you need an actual obstetrician, not an Army medic."

She was genuinely concerned for me. She didn't push me, she offered her help. I was as stubborn as they come but I knew I couldn't do this on my own.

"How did they do it? Your friend." I asked. I wonder how much she would tell me, if anything at all.

She took a second a let out a big sigh. "This stays strictly between me and you. She was in a similar circumstance as you. About 6 years back we were all still in active duty and she was involved with someone pretty seriously. She was Marines, though. It wasn't odd for Army and Marines to cross paths. Not so much with the Navy and the Air Force. The special ops teams cross paths more with those guys. Anyways. Things happen, and she found herself deployed 3 weeks into an op and 9 weeks pregnant. That effectively ended her mission and was sent back stateside. It didn't take more than 3 weeks for an errand boy to come after her to take her out. She was smart and took down the offending target, but she knew she couldn't stay out in the open like that anymore. She worked taking down drug cartels. These people are ruthless and won't blink at killing innocent children."

This sounds like Ranger and his reasoning for not wanting relationships. After the Scrog and Orin incidents I knew he wasn't just blowing smoke up my ass about people coming after him.

"The guy she was seeing at the time never knew about the baby. He was still enlisted and deployed when she ghosted, he just thought she took off. He tried to find her, but she was smart, and resourceful. He still looks for her all the time. I think it made him kinda bitter and avoids relationships at all costs now."

"It was safer for her and her child. The baby's father was also well sought after. If they found out it was his, they would have gone after him too."

"Please tell me the guy isn't Ranger." I was getting nervous. It all sounded too familiar. Too close.

Jess laughed a little, "No, Ranger isn't the guy in this story. You know about Julie."

I was actually a little surprised SHE knew about Julie. Not many people did.

"Anyways, she had to get a new identity. Which was easy enough. New city, new life, new everything. It means never going back to her home town or friends ever again. She can keep in touch with her parents, but it's through rerouted mail and secured servers. All to keep her child safe. I think sometimes now she wishes she had made a different choice, but she knows it was worth it in the long run." She smiles sadly.

I thought about never being able to see MaryLou, Connie, Lula, my parents, Grandma, Joe, Lester, all the guys. Ranger. I would never see Ranger again. Just the thought of that broke my heart. He was my best friend. I loved him.

Jess must have seen my emotions playing out on my face because she said to me, "Steph, this is why I told you to think about it a little while. It's a huge, life changing decision. You need to thoroughly think this through. And it takes planning. Commitment. Money. You need to be 100% certain. And I don't think this is the right option for you. This is like a last resort kind of thing."

"I've got a friend who lives in Philly who works at an OBGYN office who owes me a favor, or twelve. I'll call her and set up a prenatal appointment for the next 2 weeks, she might even be able to get us in on a Saturday. Won't be too hard getting away from the guys for the day."

"Jess, I don't know how to thank you enough for today. My life fell apart this morning and in less than 18 hours I actually feel like I might be ok."

"You need some help getting upstairs?"

I looked over to the back door of my apartment and froze when I saw Joe standing there staring at me. When did he get here? I didn't see his truck or POS cop car in the lot anywhere. Ugh.

"No. That's the cop right there." I say looking over to the door.

"That's the cop?" She said looking at him, her eyes glazing over slightly.

"You're more than welcome to him" I laughed. She looked like she was ready to drool. In all fairness, he was drool worthy. Not as much as Ranger, but he really did have one of the best asses in the state.

"Not my style, but DAMN that man is good looking!" I actually laughed out loud at this and Joe could hear me from the door because he looked my way and tilted his head to the side as Jess gave him a little finger wave and sultry eyes. Joe was definitely confused now.

"You need to break it off for good with him. Stay or go." She said.

"I know. We've been off for a while. I haven't talked to him in weeks so I'm not sure why he's even at my door right now."

"Alright. You should get up there. Call me if ya need me. Front is my number, the back is the number to a guy who can help get things in motion if you choose option A. I prefer option B, staying, but this is your choice. I just wanna make sure you're safe whatever choice you make."

"You're amazing. I hope you know that."

"I do" Jess smiled widely.

I looked at the number on the back of the card as I hopped out of the truck. It looked familiar. I couldn't think of who's it was, but with the invention of the smart phone the only numbers I still had memorized were my mother's house and Ranger's.

I slid the card into my pocket as I grabbed the crutch and slid down and shut the door.

I held my breath as Joe started walking my way. This was going be to a long conversation.


	7. Chapter 7

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

**Siete**

When Joe saw the crutch he came running over.

"What the Hell happened to you?" Joe asked as he reached me

"Broke my big toe." Direct and to the point. I really didn't want to have this conversation today.

"Ranger hiring female goons now?" He said as he watched the black fleet SUV pulling out of the lot.

"Temporary medic while Bobby and Ranger are "out"." I said using my fingers as quotations. I really didn't want to have to discuss Ranger being gone again. This time felt different and worse and Joe was the last person I wanted to talk to about it.

"Wanna tell me which of Trenton's finest is responsible for the broken toe?" Joe asked as he held the lobby door open for me.

"My dumbass coffee table." I was irritated and punched the call button for the elevator with just a little too much force and hurt my pointer finger.

Joe noticed my blatant disregard for the elevator buttons and softened his expression.

"While I'm not glad you're hurt, I am glad you didn't get into a fight with someone today that would have caused it."

"Days not over yet, and you're still here." I glared at him as the elevator doors opened to my floor.

I hobbled over to my front door and started digging around for my keys. Joe pulled his key and opened the door before I could even find mine in the bottom of the black hole I call a bag.

Joe held the door for me again as I went to the kitchen to say hello to my furry roommate. I gave him fresh water and some hamster crunches before throwing in a few raisins.

Joe was standing at the counter playing with his keys. He looked like he wanted to say something but didn't know how to start. Joe usually just showed up with pizza and beer to watch the game before trying to get into my pants. The next day it would be back to "on again" status. Something was up.

"Spit it out, Joe" I said with a little more venom in my voice than even I intended.

"Cupca…Steph. I know you don't really like that nickname. I'm not sure why I still use it."

The defeated sound of his voice had me really looking at his face for the first time since he got here. His eyes were tired, his beard was a good 72 hours past a five o'clock shadow and his clothes and hair looked disheveled. It had me softening my tone and attitude towards him.

"Everything alright?" I asked stepping slightly closer.

"Steph. What are we doing?" I knew what he was asking. He was thinking the same thing, which was going to make this go just slightly easier.

"I don't know anymore, Joe. We've been together so long that it's just comfortable at this point. I think we let our mothers get to us. I think we both know we aren't meant to be together long term." Saying the words out loud made them feel more real. More final.

"I got called up to be on a task force for the FBI. The last few days have been spent going over every detail, outlining covers, information, informants. I'll be going undercover for a little while and it wasn't until someone asked me what you thought about me being gone for an unknown amount of time did I really even think about it. I mean I had already known I would have to tell you I was leaving, but it didn't occur to me how you would feel about it."

"Joe that's great. You're moving up to Federal level, I know that's your dream." I was honestly happy for him.

"Thanks. I knew you would be happy for me. I knew you would be fine with me being gone. I knew you wouldn't be upset like a wife would be if her husband was in this scenario."

He was right. I wasn't. I mean I was worried for him. A lot of things could go wrong and I did love him, but I wasn't in love with him anymore. And I don't think he was with me either.

"I do still love you, Steph. But you're right, we just got so comfortable it was easier to ignore the fact that we weren't right for each other."

We stood there in the kitchen just looking at each other. This was it. It was over. I laughed just slightly and Joe looked at me," Well I mean you could at least act a little upset."

"Sorry, I am. It's just I knew this conversation had to happen and I was totally dreading it. I'm not really sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't this calm, adult conversation we are having now."

"More hands flying and Italian expletives?" Joe laughed.

"Yeah, actually. I am going to miss you though."

"I don't want to lose you in my life Steph. It will be different and maybe a little weird at first, but I know we can make it work."

"I know your right. Well make it work." I smiled. It was bitter sweet knowing I finally had the relationship with Joe we should have and I'm not sure when, or if, I'll ever see him again.

"Hopefully Ranger will be home soon to keep you company." I still wasn't ready to discuss anything Ranger with Joe, so I just nodded my head and made a tight lipped smile.

"When are you leaving?"

"Three hours. Anthony said he could take Bob in till I get back, but maybe you could go check on him every week or so, make sure the kids haven't broken him." I was going to miss the giant orange fluff ball.

"Sure thing" I started to cry just slightly. After everything that happened today and the new hormones starting to ravage my body it was hard to keep my emotions in check.

Joe came over and wrapped his arms around me and put his lips to the top of my head.

"We're gonna be ok Steph. Change is hard, but we both know this is for the best."

We stayed like that for a few more minutes, till Joe squeezed me just a little tighter. He kissed the top of my curls again and lifted up my chin to look at his face.

"I love you Steph. Always did, always will."

"I love you too Joe. Please be careful." He wiped my tears with his thumb, kissed my forehead and laid his apartment key on the counter as he walked out the door without another word.

I sat down onto the couch and pulled the blanket over me and curled up and cried for what felt like the 15th time today. I knew it needed to happen, and I knew it was a step in the right direction, but it was the end of an era. I did still love him and I cried for that lost love.

It hurt like Hell.

I woke up the next morning to the sound of Rex on his wheel. I was a little groggy and my eyes hurt from crying myself to sleep last night. I slowly sat up and stared down at the boot on my foot. I could still move around and the boot helped ease the pain of walking, but it was a bit more difficult.

I went to the kitchen and started to make coffee on auto pilot while getting out some bread and cream cheese out of the fridge. When the coffee was about halfway done and the smell starting filling the little kitchen area it hit me like a ton of bricks as I heaved over the kitchen sink.

What the Hell was I going to do without coffee?

What the Hell was I going to do in general?

I needed donuts. I hadn't been to the bonds office in 2 days, so I figured now was as good a time as any to make the visit. Vinnie would be pissed, but would probably hire skankzilla in my injured absence.

I cleaned myself up, forgoing a shower this morning, and went to change into some clean clothes. As I changed, I pulled the card Jess had given me last night and sat it on my dresser. I put her phone number into my phone and just stared at the number on the other side of the card.

Could I disappear?

I threw on clean jeans and v neck t shirt and went to grab my purse. It was Friday so I figured I'd start doing the Rangeman thing on Monday and have today off. Thankfully it was my left foot that was busted so I could still drive my POS Chevy Trailblazer. It was dark blue, well most of it was dark blue, the rear passenger side was primer grey and didn't help much for blending in. I had paid $500 bucks to Eddie and Shirley for it when they upgraded to a new minivan.

It was still only 08:30 AM so Connie should be getting ready to open the office pretty soon. I stopped at a new donut place in town and grabbed a dozen. The Boston creams looked a little weird. Guess we'll find out.

I pulled up to the front of the office right as Connie was unlocking the door. She held the door for me as I hobbled my way in with the box of donuts.

"What happened to your foot? I thought you were taking the day off yesterday?"

"Coffee table." I was getting tired of explaining this.

"Ugh, I ripped my big toe nail off doing that a few years ago. Hurt like Hell for weeks!"

"Ew. I still got my toenail, but the toe is purple now." I said sitting down on the pleather couch.

"You're gonna be out for a while?" She looked at me concerned and then glanced back to Vinnie's closed office door.

"Probably 6 weeks or so. How long do you think it will take for Duck Tales back there to hire Joyce?"

"Noon. I can probably get him to let Lula go out too and have you do the filing to make up the lost wages." Connie was trying to be helpful and I appreciated that.

"Tank offered me some work over at Rangeman for the next couple weeks. Ranger Is gone so it will be a little weird, but I appreciate the offer anyways."

I took a bite of the Boston cream and the filling instantly made me gag. I chocked down the saliva and breathed through the sick feeling it left behind. I looked at the donut and realized it wasn't a Boston cream but an icing filling donut. I was having a hard time even looking at it, so I tossed it in the garbage.

Great. First coffee, now donuts.

Lula bound through the front door in her usual splendor. Today she was decked out in a blood red sequined top, black sequined shorts that fit more like hot pants, go-go boots that reached mid-thigh that were too small for her thighs and looked like they were cutting off circulation to the lower half of her legs, and her hair was au natural. Sticking out about 2 feet on all sides of her with hints of glitter or something reflective.

"O damn girl! I though we was takin the day off yesterday?!"

"Don't worry Lula, I didn't go out without you. I ran my foot into the coffee table yesterday morning, effectively ruining my day off." And giving me the excuse of a lifetime and not have to explain why I'm really not out there chasing criminals.

Tank and Lester walked right at that moment and Lester came over and plopped down next to me.

"I told him you'd be here today and start Monday. He's all mad you didn't start today."

"What you mean start Monday? Where you startin?" Lula was upset. Shit. I took a deep breath and tried to explain it to her. She seemed to understand but wasn't too happy about it. I thought this might actually be a good chance for her to do the filing she never did and was paid to do.

"Here my receipt from William Chapman from Monday" I told Connie, giving her the receipt from my last FTA I got on Monday. Will was fairly easy. He knew who I was as soon as he opened the door. Said he thought about running but didn't really care anymore. His wife left and took damn near everything, including the dog, so he'd might as well just sit in jail. At least there he got a free gym membership, 3 meals a day, and cable. William Chapman looked like a man who had just given up. I would know. I've been there.

Connie got out her checkbook and wrote me the standard check for my capture fee and handed it back. I looked at the check and almost chocked. It was for $20,000.

"Connie…"

"I know. It was a nice capture. Usually those go to Rangeman because of the amount but Vinnie wrote the wrong number on the bond amount of the file, which is why it went to you." She winked at me. I have a feeling Vinnie was too distracted by something, or someone else, wrote the wrong number, and then Connie just didn't fix it when she got the file back.

I just sat there starting at the check. I would actually be ok for a little while. My rent would be paid. I could eat. It felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders instantly.

"Things are starting to look up Les." I smiled at him next to me.

"Yeah, for me too. You're buying lunch Monday!" He gave me a shit eating grin back. I had to admit. He's been there a lot for me lately and he deserved more than free lunch for that.

"Deal."

"Between my toe and Joe, and Ranger and everything that happened yesterday, this is saving my ass right now. Thank you Connie." I was starting to get a little choked up.

"What happened with super cop?" Lula asked.

"We split for good." I didn't really want to go into a bunch of detail with everyone here.

"You've been split for weeks, what's the difference?" Lula asked confused.

"He came over last night, we had a real, adult conversation. We both knew it was over and were together for the wrong reasons and decided to move on." Trying to be as vague, yet informative as I could.

I could hear Tank mumble something from near Connie's desk and Connie stifle a laugh. I looked over at Tank and gave him an attempted raised eyebrow in question.

Tank not being one to cave just started back and then glared at Connie. She stopped smiling immediately and started typing and minding her own business again.

"0800 Monday. My office." Tank told me before looking at Lester, and turning to walk out the door.

"Stay out of trouble this weekend. Call me if ya need me." Lester told me before kissing the top of my head and following Tank out the front door.

"Well I guess I'm gonna go cash my check and head home." I told the girls.

"So were really not gonna see you every day anymore?" Lula asked sadly. "Who's gonna let me follow them around hunting bad guys?"

"Maybe Vinnie will let you go after the regulars till I get back?" Not even sure I was planning on coming back or not.

"I could get the regulars like Mooner and Dougie. As long as they don't try to eat them Cheetos in my Firebird again. That orange dust won't come out for nothing!" The thought of the MoonMan and Dougie eating Cheetos in the hot red Firebird's minuscule backseat made me smile.

"I'll be around. Just text me if ya need me." I told Connie and Lula and walked out of the Bond's office for quite possibly the last time.


	8. Chapter 8

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

I had stopped by the bank, deposited the lifesaving check, and decided a grocery shopping trip was needed to celebrate. There was little to no food in my apartment.

Again

I didn't have a damn thing to do for the weekend till Monday, so I decided to venture outside of town and go to Target in Princeton. The chances of running into someone there was a lot smaller than somewhere closer like Hamilton Township.

I walked around Target for a while and found myself standing across the aisle from the baby section. I couldn't go into it, but just circle around it, like it was a black hole that if I stepped one foot inside that line, there was no going back and I wasn't ready to completely give in to it yet. I did pick up a bottle of prenatal vitamins and found some suckers and this bracelet thing that are supposed to help with morning sickness. I prayed to God one of them at least helped. This throwing up every morning thing was getting on my nerves.

I was having a hard time with the food part. Everything I normally ate made me want to vomit. I decided frozen pizzas were probably a good way to go and found a spinach tomato goat cheese pizza that looked amazing. What is wrong with me?

After Target, there was a PetsMart across the street. Rex needed a few essentials too and after wandering around I found a huge mega mansion for hamsters on clearance. It was 3 little hamster stories tall with tubes that extended out of the top and sides that he could crawl around in.

It was right then and there that I decided Rex needed a new home. Away from the Burg and gossip, and our controlling family. It would be the hardest thing I've ever done, and I might even regret it, but I felt it was the best thing for everyone. I was already a hamster mom, soon enough to be a real mom, and I had to make the hard decisions.

I checked out before I started crying in the pet store and made my way back to Trenton. As I drove back into town I thought about all the things I would miss. As much as I would miss people and places I knew staying here wasn't an option anymore.

I wouldn't let my kid grow up thinking he was unwanted or an embarrassment. They money I just made on William Chapman and a full time job at Rangeman, even if only temporary, insured me a little leeway financially so I didn't have to move into my parents house. But my mother would still be here, hounding me about having to get married now.

When she finds out marriage isn't an option, she's going to tell me how big of a screw up I am, yell "WHY ME?!" and the ceiling and drink a gallon of "iced tea" while ironing for 3 days straight.

I manager to get my shopping trip haul upstairs in one trip, even with the boot. I wasn't using the crutches. I could get around fine without them. I put away all the perishable items and left the rest on the kitchen counter for the time being and walked into my bedroom and retrieved the business card off the dresser.

I looked at the number one last time, punched it into my phone, and hit the send button.

I had no idea what I was going to say when whoever picked up the phone. Do I explain my situation to a complete stranger? Do I tell them Jess referred me? I clearly hadn't thought this through.

I waited for what seemed like an eternity in a cold sweat knowing I was really going to do this. When the person on the other line finally answered my jaw dropped to the floor.

"HEELLLLOOOOO? Ya there sweet cakes?"

"Diesel?" I was really confused.

"Finally ready to take me up on that offer?" Diesel drawled. I was having a hard time putting thoughts into words and this new development didn't help any.

"Um…um. My friend Jess gave me your number. Um" I was stuttering and not sure what to say.

"Way to disappoint a guy. If Jess gave you my number it's for business and no fun." He sounded pretty disappointed.

"How do you know Jess?" I was so confused and had completely forgotten about the reason for calling this number in the first place.

"Same way I know Ranger. We go way back. I'm not surprised you crossed paths with her though." He sounded so relaxed like this wasn't totally freaking him out.

Ok it probably wasn't, I was the only one freaking out.

Diesel was weird. And to say that would be the understatement of the year. Diesel was…..I didn't even know how to describe Diesel. He appeared and disappears like smoke with the smell of Christmas cookies. He was a self-described tracker, tracking other people who seemed to have unnatural abilities. You never knew when Diesel was going to show up or vanish.

"You ok? Need me to come help you make everything all better?" Diesel's voice brought me out of my mental ramblings. Him being here was the LAST person I needed right now.

"She must have been mistaken and given me the wrong number. No big deal. It was nice talking to you again, BYE!" I punched the end call on my phone as fast as I could and threw the thing on the bed like it was diseased.

"I have got enough problems to deal with right now, I don't need to add him to it."

I felt a wave of nausea roll through me and ran back to the kitchen to grab the new suckers. I popped one in my mouth while I made a cup of lemon ginger tea, which the internet said is great for pregnancy related nausea. I put the bracelet on, make sure there were no markings on it giving away what it was.

I ate the sucker in like 5 seconds cause I have no patience and drank my tea why setting up Rex's new mansion. He peered out of his soup can as I was transferring his wheel to the sink for a good cleaning before putting it in his new home.

My phone rang from the bedroom at about 5'oclock and I picked up when I noticed it was Jess.

"Did you mean to give me Diesel's number?" Not even a hello. Just straight to the point.

"Um Hello. Wait. You know Diesel?" Now Jess was the one who sounded confused.

"Yeah, he's weird. He likes to pop in and wreak havoc on my life, steal my bras and try to suffocate me while I sleep."

"Uhhh…..I just got off work so I thought maybe we could grab dinner or something. I'm gonna pickup some Chinese food and head over to your place. See ya in a bit."

She disconnected without a "see ya soon", or "bye", or even waiting for an answer. I guess she really is a Rangeman with those phone manners.

I worked on Rex's cage and put the rest of my stuff away. I put the prenatal vitamins in an old Tylenol bottle and preggo pops in an unmarked container, just in case, and took all my garbage down to the dumpster. I might be being super paranoid, but people like to just walk into my apartment and right now the only people who know I'm pregnant are me and Jess. And I would like to keep it that way.

Jess called me about 20 minutes later from the parking lot.

"I don't know which apartment you live in."

"Second floor" I opened the apartment door and waited for her to get off the elevator, which she didn't, because she took the stairs. People and their unneeded exercise. Ugh

She held up 2 bags of Chinese takeout and walked past me into the apartment.

"So tell me how you know Diesel?" She asked smiling.

I told her about a few of the times Diesel "popped" himself into my apartment and the mess that follows. She was laughing through most of it and when I was finished half the Chinese was gone and she was laughing hysterically.

"Who names a monkey Carl?" she was laughing.

"So now you see why I can't call Diesel for this" I told her.

"Look, Diesel is the best at finding people. You know this. He is probably the best tracker I've ever seen, or even heard of. And that includes Ranger."

I had a hard time believing that Diesel was better at anything than Ranger.

"In order to be hidden, you need the best at being found." She riddled.

It made sense I suppose. If I wanted to stay hidden from Ranger and the guys I was going to need the best.

"So if you called D, I'm guessing you made up your mind?" She asked.

"Yeah. I can't let my kid grow up like I did with constant criticism about being who he is and people making him think he wasn't wanted. "

"Who would make him think he wasn't wanted?" Jess asked.

"His father." The thought made me incredibly sad. It was my whole reason for leaving. I wouldn't let my kid or myself have to put up with the rejection.

"When do you wanna get this show on the road then?"

Now that the decision was made, I had to actually follow through with the plan.

"I have no idea where to start." I told her honestly.

"Well you need to call Diesel back."

Crap. Yeah, I really didn't wanna do that.

"I called my friend in Philly. She was she can get you in tomorrow if you're available. Not a big deal if not. Short notice, she knows. But you really need to get in to see her, if not tomorrow, really soon."

"Yeah, I'm not working now, so tomorrow is fine." Having a doctor's appointment was making things more real and freaking me out again.

"The secondary medic is on shift tomorrow, so I can take you. We can get some lunch and go shopping afterwards so when we tell the guys why we are going to Philly it's not a complete lie." She laughed.

I was worried about lying to Tank and Lester and all the other guys. They didn't do anything wrong and I was going to hurt them. It wasn't really fair.

"What time should I be ready?" I asked walking her out to the door.

"She said be there by noon, so I'd say well do that first, be ready by 10. Should be good."

"And try to be at least a little excited." She whispered to me as she walked out and down the hall.

It was hard to be excited when all you could think about was the impending doom and heartache.

I have chapter 9 ready to go and will post that today as well. I'm not going to promise "ONE CHAPTER A WEEK!" Im going to write them and edit them, and post them when Im done. If its 6 hours or 6 days between chapters, so be it. Im the kind of person who isn't going to break a promise, but Im doing this for fun when Im bored, so Im not going to kill myself trying to push out a chapter just cause the deadline is due.

I hope everyone can understand!

Thanks!


	9. Chapter 9

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

9

I woke up at 9 feeling pretty good. I knew Jess would be here in an hour to head to Philly so I grabbed some breakfast and took my phone out to do a little research.

I managed to keep everything I ate down and by the time Jess was in the parking lot at 10 I was ready to roll. Shopping would be more fun now that I had a few dollars in the bank and didn't have to worry about maxing out a credit card. I couldn't spend much, but it was better than being totally broke.

"I thought we could make productive use of our drive time and you could finally tell me who the baby daddy is on the way!"

I know I hadn't told her. That wasn't a mistake on my part.

"Its eating you alive isn't it?" I asked her

"You'll have to tell me eventually." She faked being upset.

"This appointment today won't have any paper trail right? Just an in office visit?" I asked changing the subject.

"Were not even on the appointment calendar." Now she was sounding smug.

"Thank you. I can't tell you how much you've helped me the last few days."

I really was grateful for Jess.

My cell started ringing and when I looked at the caller ID my blood pressure went up.

"It's my mom." I explained.

"You gonna answer it?" Jess asked as I just let the ringtone play itself out.

When it finally stopped, I went to put the cell back in my bag, but it started ringing again. I finally gave up and answered it.

"Hi Mom. What's going on?" Trying to sound normal but I knew why she was calling. She had no doubt heard about me and Joe calling it quits and him leaving town.

"Stephanie, I'm very sorry to hear about you and Joseph. Are you doing ok?" She sounded genuinely concerned, and I was thrown for a loop. Gone was the harsh tones and nagging about "losing the last chance I had left" or "how could you do this to poor Joseph?"

"I'm doing ok. Are you feeling alright?" I asked her. This is out of character for her so now I was trying to make sure she wasn't drunk or stroking out.

"Joseph called me very early yesterday morning and explained everything. Stephanie I'm very sorry for the way I've acted in regards to your relationships. Joseph told me I push you too hard to be something you don't want to be, and that when he did the same thing, you just pulled further away, and Stephanie I don't want you to pull further away. I barely see you or talk as it is. I'm sorry."

What the Hell is going on around here lately?!

"Um. Thank you, Mom. I appreciate that. Me and Joe just decided we wanted different things, and were better off friends." Explaining it like that made it seem so insignificant.

"I'm making a roast chicken and German chocolate cake for dinner tonight. I promise not to invite any men over if you come for dinner." She was making a joke. She never made jokes.

"Um yeah. That sounds great . I'll see you at 6." I was very, very confused.

"It's Saturday and I'm sure you have things to do today, let's make it 7:30 so you don't have to rush over."

"Is the Burg going to explode over dinner not being served at 6?" I said jokingly.

"O all those busy bodies can stuff it. Our home phone number is being changed Monday morning. I just can't take any more calls about your Grandmother." She sounded exasperated. I can only imagine the sheer amount of calls she gets weekly about Grandma. Probably enough to make me throw the whole damn phone out the window.

"Ok, so I'll see you by 7:30 then." I was having a hard time accepting my mother's new outlook on my life.

I hung up the phone and just stared at it for a minute in quiet contemplation. I sent Joe a quick text

_I don't know what you said to my Mom, but whatever it was THANK YOU. Be safe._

"I have to be back by 7:00 tonight for dinner with my parents." I told Jess

"Not a problem." Jess said.

We talked for a while and made it to the doctor's office in Philly by 11:15. As we walked in, there was no one in the office and a cute brunette nurse came out and greeted Jess like they were old friends. She introduced me and we headed into the back of the office to a room like any other gyno office with the bed and evil stirrups and equipment.

An older woman with peppered gray hair and soft gray eyes came in and greeted us.

"You must be my patient A today. My name is Dr. McLaughlin. I haven't been told your name sweetheart, and you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Ashley here tells me you are in need of a first prenatal appointment, but have concerns about it "being on the books" she said as she winked at me.

Jess and Ashley then excused themselves from the room.

"I really appreciate you seeing me today under these circumstances." I said shyly. I wasn't sure how this would go.

"Ashley tells me her and Jess have been friends for years, and I do pro bono work quite frequently. If you are in trouble or feel threatened at home, please feel free to tell us. We can help you without judgment."

"NO! No, it's nothing like that." I instantly felt guilty and a little embarrassed these people though I might be here for other reasons than why I was.

"No judgment. I'm going to ask you a few standard questions since this is your first time here. I have you listed as Patient A. in our system so nothing will be recorded but answers and that's only to calculate your due date. Do you remember when your last menstrual cycle was?" Dr. McLaughlin was easy to talk to and seemed genuine.

"I'm on the 3 month pill, so I don't really remember the date of my last period. I know I should probably keep track of that, but my life isn't exactly normal."

"I understand. Those 3 month pills can be great, but by the time your period is missed you're already feeling other symptoms."

"I know the date of conception if that helps." I said.

"Well actually yes. That's something most women don't know." She laughed and changed to another screen in her computer.

"March 3rd." I had already looked at the calendar on my phone and calculated it out.

"There's no other possible day?" The doctor asked a little skeptical.

"Nope. That was the day."

I highly doubted I would forget that day for as long as I lived. And when your sexual encounters with anyone other than a shower massager happen as infrequently as mine do lately, it's pretty easy to pin point down the day.

"That makes your due date on or around November 24th and that puts you at about 7 and a half weeks pregnant. How did you confirm this pregnancy? Home test or just symptoms?"

"Home tests." Short, simple answers were all I was really capable of right now. She had just told me by Thanksgiving of this year I would have a tiny human I was responsible for, not just showing up to dinner on time.

"Multiple?" I nodded yes.

"How many were positive?" The doctor asked

"15." I replied. She looked up eyes wide.

"Out of how many?" She asked

"15." I bit my bottom lip and shrugged my shoulders.

"Well I would say that's a confirmation." She continued to ask questions about my general health and family history of pregnancy related illnesses. Other than the fact that I had been born a month early, and Val's train wreck of a pregnancy, I didn't really know anything. I usually tuned out all of that information, never thinking I would actually have to know it.

"Normally we would wait a little while longer to do the first ultrasound, but with your advanced age and morning sickness, I'd like to do one today. Is that sound ok?"

I nodded yes and was getting ready to lay back and pull up my shirt when she stopped me.

"The first ultrasound is done internally. The standard wand won't be able to pick up much this early in the pregnancy. I'll leave the room to let you get undressed from the waist down. When you're done, go ahead and hop back up here, and you can use this sheet to drape over you. I'll be back."

Internally? I swallowed hard. What did that mean?

I followed doctor's orders, got undressed and back on the table in a few minutes time. It was all very similar to an annual exam. The doctor knocked lightly on the door and came back in.

"You ready?" She asked me.

I couldn't really answer so I just nodded my head again. She helped me get my feet up in the stirrups and into position. She pulled out what looked like a foot long probe and covered it in a plastic cover and gel.

No fucking way is that thing going where I think it's going.

"Alright. This is going to be just a little cold and a little bit of pressure." And up went the wand.

I was staring at the monitor next to me to try and distract myself from everything going on from the waist down. As the doctor moved the wand around, the screen was a black and white blur.

After a few seconds she stopped moving around so much and pointed to the screen.

"There they are." The little white blob on the screen looked more like a baby than I thought possible. You could almost see the tiny little nubs that are arms and legs and a head that was as big as the rest of its body. It was strange looking, sure, but it was definitely human.

The doctor moved the wand around and started looking and measuring everything on the screen. Snapping a few pictures as she went.

"Everything looks as it should. Plenty of fluid. It's hard to diagnose any possible problems right now since it's still so early. But the next ultrasound around 20 weeks will tell us a lot more information." She said wiping the machine down and handing me 4 mini photos printed on a single long piece of paper.

The doctor left for me to get dressed.

I just stared at the pictures in my hand. It was real. It was one tiny little thing growing inside me and I couldn't stop staring at it. It was beautiful. I wondered if he would have my eyes, or his fathers. God help him if he got stuck with my hair. I was still completely convinced it was a boy.

I put the pictures in my back pocket and walked into the nurse's station area.

Jess and Ashley were looking at pictures on Ashley's phone and both looked up at me as I walked out.

"All good?" Jess asked.

I just nodded again. Not really sure what to say. The doctor walked back over to me and handed me a plain medium sized paper bag.

"This is 9 months' worth of prenatal vitamins with DHA. There's also books and pamphlets on a lot of different issues. Cord blood storage, Adoption, breastfeeding, termination, diet during pregnancy, what to expect when you're expecting, anything and everything. There's also a list of phone apps I would recommend you look into if that's something you think you would find helpful. I fully believe in being well informed. If for some reason you need anything feel free to call the office and ask for me directly.

"Thank you for everything. And for seeing me on such secretive circumstances."

"I understand more than you know the situation you're currently in. Secrets are safe with me as long as you stay health and take care of that baby." She said pointing towards my lower stomach. She gave me a sweet smile and walked into the back of the office.

"Ashley is gonna come with us, if that's cool." Jess told me.

We left the doctor's office and went to get lunch. Getting to know Ashley was nice and her and Jess enjoyed chatting and catching up as I was lost in my own little world.

I had seen him. He was real. I couldn't retreat to denial land anymore knowing I had proof he actually existed.

Jess broke me out of my mental ramblings and we went shopping. They convinced me to buy a few maternity jeans now, even though I was not anywhere near needing them. Ashley assured me it was better to have them when I needed them than try and squeeze into jeans that no longer fit.

We found maternity jeans that didn't have that full belly panel in the front, but stretchy small panels on the sized that grew with me. I instantly fell in love with these pants. I could eat a few too many donuts in the morning and not feel like my pants were too tight for the rest of the day. I also bought a few shirts that were looser fitting but not quite maternity shirts to hide myself when I started getting a little bigger.

We dropped Ashley back off at the doctor's office around 5 o'clock and started heading back towards Trenton.

"You ready to call Diesel back?" She asked me about half way home.

"No. I know I need to, but I'm just not mentally prepared to deal with him right now."

"I need to get through a few other things first. I know picking up and leaving overnight isn't going to happen, so I need to get a few ducks in order before I bolt."

"What if Ranger comes back first?" Jess asked

"Then I'm screwed." I laughed. Jess looked over at me with an eyebrow raised in question.

"I'm not sure I could leave with him being home. It would definitely make things more complicated. I know I need to leave before June 1st. There's no way I'm going to be able to hide him (as I point to my belly) if he decides to start showing, especially if Ranger comes back. The other guys I can probably play it off like I just need to ease up on the donuts. Ranger doesn't like space between us. He'll know instantly. I'm not sticking around for his pity. I refuse to be another Rachel." I said knowing I pretty much just admitted the baby was Ranger's.

"I KNEW IT!" Jess all but jumped out of the driver's seat.

"I mean, I was like 95% sure, but that cop, especially after showing up the other day at your apartment, gave me just a little doubt." Jess was way too happy.

"If it was Joe's I wouldn't be trying to disappear off the face of the earth. We would have gotten married and lived unhappily ever after." I took a deep breath, thankful that wasn't the case.

My "situation" wasn't great, but at least I wouldn't be stuck in a loveless marriage with a guy I would grow to resent for the rest of my life. At least I had that going for me.

"You're Catholic, right?" Jess asked me.

"Well. Yes. And No. I was raised Catholic. I haven't been to a mass in I can't tell you how long. But I still have that good old fashioned "Catholic guilt" thing going for me."

"So other alternatives aren't an option?"

"Nope. I don't think I could even consider adoption." The idea of giving up my baby made with the man I loved more than anything just wasn't feasible. I would do anything to make sure they were safe, including what I'm about to do, but I could never give them to a stranger to raise.

"So we just gotta make sure you're ready to go by Memorial Day then." Jess said

"And hope Ranger and Bobby don't come back before then."

Jess dropped me off at the front door to my apartment building with my shopping bags and I thanked her again for everything today. I went upstairs to get ready for dinner with my parents.

This could go either really well, or really badly.


	10. Chapter 10

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

Id like to put in a a few notes before we start. As I said in the beginning this is Joe and Helen _**friendly**_. That didn't mean they would be a huge part of this story, just that I wasn't going to throw them under the buss. A lot of other stories portray them as total and complete monsters. They aren't horrible people, they just have different viewpoints. And remember her Mom ran over a guy for Steph once. I would say that constitutes some kind of caring for her daughter. lol

And yes. Diesel is here. I love Diesel. I don't love a lot of the supernatural that JE portrays in her books, I feel it brings in a little too much science fiction. But he is a fun character to play with so he will stay, but without quite as much "sci-fi".

I very much appreciate all the reviews. If you have questions or comments and wish for a reply, put it in the review. Ill try to reply to them, otherwise I wont.

Thanks everyone! On with chapter 10….

10

I pulled up to my parent's house at 7:15 and neither Grandma nor Mom were at the front door. Hmm. Daughter radar must be broken today.

I walked in the house to the usual scenery of my Dad in front of the TV in his favorite chair and the smell of roasted chicken coming from the kitchen.

I said Hello to my Dad and walked into the kitchen to see if there was anything I could help my mom with, not that she ever let me touch anything in the kitchen anyways. And for good reason too. I could burn boiling water.

"Hi Mom. Where's Grandma?" I asked her

"Out. Thank the heavens for it too."

"Stephanie, what happened to your foot? Are you alright?" She noticed the boot.

I was starting to forget about the boot actually. It wasn't that hard to walk in and my toe didn't hurt that bad while wearing it.

"Did it happen at work?" She asked

I waited for her to scold me about my job being dangerous, or not being properly trained for it, or being incompetent. She sounded genuinely concerned.

"O, um. Actually I subbed my toe on the coffee table a few days ago and Jess, the temporary medic at Rangeman did an X-ray on it for me, and it's broke so she gave me the boot instead of a cast." I explained.

"But how will you be able to work in a boot?" She asked.

"I can't. Tank says he's got some things for me to work on in the office full time for the next few weeks." I tell her expecting her to light up like a Christmas tree at the information that I will be working in an office, if only temporary.

"Well that's very thoughtful of him, but what about your job?"

Who are you and what have you done with my mother? I thought I said to myself.

"Stephanie. I know I haven't always been the biggest supporter of your job. But I've come to realize you do enjoy it, and a job at the button factory would make you miserable. And that is the last thing I have ever wanted for you."

"And she has an over 99% capture rate!" My dad said as he walked into the kitchen.

"That can't be right, not even Rangeman has a 99% capture rate and they are the best in the business." I told my dad.

"That's not what Cal told me at the lodge last week." Dad said

My dad was hanging out with Cal, now?

I decided to let that one go for the time being and concentrate on the fact that my dad seemed talkative. And happy.

"Where's Grandma again?" I asked. Something was off. Dad was happy and Grandma wasn't here. If I didn't know any better I would be worried Grandma was now eating coffee cake with Elvis.

"I convinced your Grandmother to start spending more time at the senior center." My mom said. Dad smiled. An actual smile. I didn't know he could do that anymore.

My mom sighed and wiped her hands on her apron.

"Since your Grandfather's passing, God rest his soul, I've tried to be a good Burg daughter and take care of my mother in her old age, but I just can't take it anymore, Stephanie, she's gone rogue."

That would be an understatement.

"SHE was the one who raised me to be a proper housewife and mother. SHE was the one who taught me to always keep my ankles crossed in public and how to prepare a pot roast so it came out of the oven perfect at 5:45, giving it a few minutes to rest to make sure it was moist and perfect, right at supper time. I didn't learn these things on my own, dear. I taught you and Valarie, well tried to anyways, everything that she taught me. And now she has the nerve to call ME an "ol stick in the mud" when she's the one who decides to forget all her own teachings."

"You know, I like pizza too! I would like a night off from cooking every once in a while to enjoy a card game with my friends. I've been doing this for almost 40 damn years, isn't it my turn to have a little fun too!"

"Whoa, Mom. It's ok. Breath." I'd never seen her so worked up before. She usually just ironed or drank her iced tea.

"O my, I'm so sorry Stephanie. I didn't mean to yell at you. It's just been so hard the last few years. When I brought up spending more time at the senior center to her, we got her on that list for the senior transportation, so she can just call and they come get her any time she likes. She's been gone most days with her friends and it's just been absolutely wonderful around here. Your father is happy again. He's actually spending time with me at home now, not just hiding out at the lodge or rushing out to pick up fake customers in his taxi."

My dad blushed just slightly, like he thought Mom didn't know he wasn't actually rushing out to get Tony from the lodge cause he drank too much. Mom knew everything going on in the Burg.

Just then I had an idea, but it involved telling my parents at least some of what was going on. I grabbed the dishes and set the table as my father actually helped bring everything out to the table.

The three of us sat down and started having a nice family dinner. I can't remember the last time dinner didn't have Grandma's vulgar talking about some new hottie she found, shooting the chicken, or Valarie and her zoo throwing mashed potatoes at each other.

"So what will you be doing for office work while your foot recovers?" My mother asked.

"Um, I haven't actually started yet, so I won't really know till Monday. But probably the same things I do when I work there sometimes. Run searches, file paperwork, small stuff." I hoped that was it, I wasn't really qualified to do much else there.

"I'm sure you'll be back to chasing down felons in no time." My mother patted the top of my hand reassuringly.

"Ranger is gone for a while, right?" My dad asked. How did my dad know so much about Rangeman?

The look on my face must have given it away cause my dad replied,

"You know a lot of those guys hang out at the lodge? Grab a beer after work. Talk shop with the other vets." I hadn't thought about the Rangeman guys going out for beers after work, and even if they did I would think they would go to Shorty's or something, not the stuffy lodge in the Burg.

"Yeah. Not sure how long this time."

After that dinner went along quietly, without a blind date proposal, "why me", or need to grab the bottle from the top cupboard.

I helped clean up and did dishes while my mother packed me a to-go bag of chicken and extra cake.

I said good night to my parents, and my mother reached in and gave me a hug.

"I do support you Stephanie. Always remember that. Good night sweetheart."

I was getting a little choked up so I just smiled, walked to the car, and waved good bye as I pulled out of the driveway. I arrived home with no problems, went upstairs, said Hi to Rex exploring his new tunnels, took a long hot shower and went to bed.

…

I was deep in sleep dreaming of Ranger. He was warm and smelled like heaven. Like Christmas cookies and pine needles.

Wait. That's not Ranger. Ranger smells like Ranger and Bvlgari green.

My eyes flew open and I was met with a giant head of sandy blonde hair on top of me. I tried shoving the dead weight off me, but Diesel wasn't a small guy.

"GET….OFF….ME!"

"Hmmmm…." Diesel nuzzles his face into the crook of my neck.

"CANT…..BREATH!" Diesel took a final shove and rolled to the side. He took one big arm and swung it over my midsection and pulled me to him.

"What are you doing here?" I was half awake and pissed he interrupted my Ranger dream.

"You called me." Diesel was half asleep too, who knows how long he's been here.

"That was 2 days ago and now it's…" I looked over at my bedside clock " 4am!"

"It's been a long night. We can argue about this in the morning."

And with that Diesel snuggles down even further and was snoring in seconds. I decided I was just going to give up till in the morning. I was too tired to argue with him anyways.

….

I woke up to the sun streaming though my bedroom windows and a warm body plastered to my back. I could feel said body was sleeping au natural.

It was nice. Then I remember who was behind me, and bolted up out of bed.

The too quick movement first thing in the morning had me sprinting to the bathroom.

After about 5 minutes of heaving up what was left in my stomach from last night, I went out to the kitchen to find Diesel talking to Rex.

"And that's how you break a guy's elbow with 3 fingers."

"What are you teaching my hamster?" I walked over and grabbed the gallon of milk from the fridge.

"Your apartment gets broken into a lot, he needs self-defense training." Diesel said while attempting to hand me a cup of coffee. The smell hit me and I went running back to the bathroom. Thankfully I didn't have anything left this time and the feeling passed quickly.

"You sick?" Diesel could be heard outside the bathroom door.

"Do you have coffee in your hand?" I yelled through the door.

I waited for a response for about 90 seconds before I heard Diesel, "Ok. The coffee is gone. I dumped the rest of the pot down the drain, and sealed the used grounds in bag. It's safe to come out now."

"Thank you." I said walking back to the kitchen.

"So the cop knocked ya up, finally?" Diesel looked like the cat who ate the canary.

"Nope." I wasn't going to give Diesel the satisfaction of knowing he guessed something correctly. So I was going to go with the fact that he was incorrect about one of the details.

"I'm gonna call bullshit." Still sporting that damn smug look on his face.

"Why are you here?" I was very irritable this morning.

"You called me, remember?"

"I don't remember asking you to come for a visit when I did."

"Let's cut to the chase. You're preggo. And you don't want anyone to know. So you want to leave. Am I on the right track here?" I hated that he knew everything so quickly. Diesel has unnatural abilities, but I didn't think that extended to this specific area.

"Did Jess call you?" I didn't think she would. And even if she did, I doubt he would admit it.

"So. Who would you like to be?" He asked pulling out a large messenger bag full of files.

"What do you mean?"

"The new you." He laid out 5 files onto the kitchen counter. All had different names.

Mary Wilson

Nicole Learn

Alyse Vickers

Danielle Herman

Samantha Costas

"What is this?" I asked picking up one of the files, listed as Mary Wilson.

Inside was a birth certificate, social security card, credit history, and other identity supporting documents, but no pictures.

"I don't see you as a Mary." Diesel said, taking the file from me and putting it back inside his bag.

"What is all this?!" I asked staring at the reaming 4 files on the counter.

"There are all identities that have been set up, waiting for someone to live. They all have back stories, credit histories, facebook pages. You name it. You just need to pick one and let go of Stephanie Plum."

"It can't be that easy."

"When you come to me, it is." Diesel said.

"What about Ranger finding me?"

"He won't. You will have to make a few changes, to make sure that doesn't happen. I have expertise in this area and I know for a fact I can keep you hidden to the best tracker Rangeman has. And it isn't Ranger."

I was confused. Ranger was the best at everything.

"Lester Santos is second to me in tracking. Ranger is the leader, but Santos is the tracker."

"How do you know he won't be able to track me down?"

"I've done it before. And because you are green in this area, I've gotten her to agree to help you out for a while before you get on your feet."

Jess's friend. Was Lester tracking her? Was Les the guy? My mind was spinning.

"Start packing your shit. You can take clothes, toiletries, and your hamster. No cell phones, laptops, any document with your name on it. I have a bug sweeper, well sweep everything you own. I know Rangeman likes to keep tabs on you. You'll only get one shot at this as a favor from me, and any trackers missed will blow a whole identity, and I can't afford to give you two."

"When do I have to leave?"

"Um. Now would be good."

"I'm not ready to leave now! I've gotta pack, and sort through stuff, and make arrangements."

"Women and all your sentimental crap. Fine. I'll give you 2 weeks to get your crap together. I'll call Cat and tell her. At least pick a name so I can start working on it."

He was acting like I was being indecisive about buying a car. Not disappearing forever.

Everything was moving too fast and I was having a hard time keeping my grip on reality. It all sounded like something out of a movie.

"Sorry. I can be a little insensitive at times about this. Usually people are running from something and don't want to wait. They have everything ready to go before I show up."

'"How many times have you done this before?"

"A few." He said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"I'm not sure I can do this." I confided in Diesel.

"I know for a fact you can. The question is do you really want to?"

"No." I spit out before I could stop it.

"Most people don't. I'm a last resort."

"How do I do it?" I asked Diesel.

"First you pick a name." He said pointing to the 4 files remaining on the counter.

"How do I choose?" I picked up the file listed as Nicole Learn.

It had all the basic info on Nicole but no identifying information. I guess that would all be added later. Nicole was from Texas, but was born in Florida. Had a credit score of 690, no kids, birthday January 23rd, 1984.

Alyse Vickers was similar. Northing special to stand out. I read through the remaining files Danielle and Samantha quickly enough. When I was finished I looked at Diesel,

"Any suggestions on which one I should pick?" This was going to be my new life and I was completely lost.

Diesel pickup up Nicole off the top and gave it a quick stare down. He pursed his lips and slipped it back into his bag. He looked at the remaining 3 for a minute the pulled Samantha off the bottom. Looked it over for a good 10 seconds and slapped it down on to the counter in front of me.

"I can see you as a Sam." And put the other files back in the bag.

"Sam it is." I looked further at the folder. Samantha Isabella Costas. Sounded Italian. Born in South Hackensack, New Jersey on March 22nd, 1986.

"At least that one explains the Jersey attitude and accent." Diesel said.

"The trick is to hide in plain sight. If we change you too much, you'll slip up and people will get suspicious. If someone asks too many questions, they start looking into your background, and as detailed as I am, the internet makes it hard to hide everything."

"What do I do now?" I was scared and had no idea how to move forward.

"Get your affairs in order, obviously not telling anyone anything. Jess already knows, but don't give her anything on paper. She's too close to who you're trying to hide from as it is. My suggestion to you though is to write letters to the important people. Tell them you're leaving, you'll keep in touch, whatever you have to say to make them not search for you too hard."

"Then what?" Two weeks didn't seem like enough time. But I knew if I waited any longer I would run the risk of Ranger coming home.

"Then we leave. I'll pick you up in the middle of the night. We'll be driving to your new location. Flying is too risky, especially this close to your home base. I'll get you set up and settled in a new place. Take out and close your bank accounts and keep cash on hand. Well launder it so it can't be traced. Your case is a little more involved due to your connections. My fees are usually pretty steep, but you've helped me out more than once, so this ones on the house. You'll need to have some cash for basics and to live off of till you find a job though."

"I got lucky with my last FTA so I have about nineteen grand in the bank right now. My car isn't worth more than a couple hundred bucks though."

"Try not to make it look obvious you're leaving. Don't pack up and leave boxes laying around for days on end. Someone is bound to show up here and ask questions."

"Then we just leave? It's that easy?"

"It's not really as difficult as the movies make it seem. We're not going "off grid" or making you live in a cabin in the woods for the rest of your life. We _are_ going to keep you out of cities that have Rangeman connections. Too big a chance someone will recognize you."

"Two weeks?" It sounded so far away but like it would never be enough time.

"Two weeks, be ready." Diesel replied while he walked down the hall to my bedroom. It was still fairly early, so I thought maybe he was just going back to bed.

I drank a quick glass of milk, gave Rex a peanut and went back to my bedroom to find no Diesel.

I hated it when he disappeared like that.


	11. Chapter 11

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

I spent the day thinking about everything and making a mental inventory of everything I owned.

It wasn't much. Well not much worth keeping anyways.

I was going to try to make this transition as easy as possible. I went through all my clothes and threw anything Trenton or Rangeman related into a bag. Samantha was from Hackensack so I figured my Rangers Jerseys and stuff were safe.

I started writing letters to everyone telling them I was leaving. The letters to Connie, Lula, and Mary Lou were pretty easy, but the rest took a lot out of me.

I tried to be as vague as I could while still making sure they understood my reasons for leaving. I didn't tell anyone about the baby in any of the letters and instead used me and Joe's final breakup as a catalyst reason for leaving. Seemed reasonable to me.

Writing a letter to my parents was hard, especially the new found understanding my Mom has shown me. I thought maybe Me leaving would actually be better for her and my Dad. In my letter to Grandma I told her the apartment was hers and everything in it. I would pay the rent for 3 months for her up front to Dillon the night before I left.

I wrote Dillon a short letter explaining I was leaving and giving Grandma the apartment. I made a note to buy him a case of beer, knowing I'm sure he would help her move in.

I wrote letters to Lester, Tank, and Hector. I told them I would miss them, and I would keep in touch to let them know I was ok. I would miss Hector the most probably. We had gotten close over the last year. I felt bad leaving all of them, but the more I thought about the letter to Ranger, the more I knew I needed to go.

Joe's letter was easy, all things considered. I felt ready to move on from that relationship a long time ago, I realized.

The letter to Ranger was the last one to write and I couldn't get past "Dear Ranger, I promise I haven't been kidnapped again."

I figured I'd done enough for the day and still had 2 weeks to finish it.

I wasn't sure what was going to happen in the next 2 weeks, but I was mentally preparing for it as I fell asleep.

…

I woke up late, rushing out the door to get to Tank's office by 8. Thankfully no throwing up today, cause otherwise I would definitely been late.

I skidded into a parking spot, attempted to run to the elevator, and made it to Tanks office door by 8:01.

"You're late." He said without looking up from his paperwork.

"Thirty seconds." I said. Out of breath.

"A late is a late. Weather its 30 seconds or 30 minutes." He said finally looking up.

"I'm sorry. I'm not used to how much slower the boot makes me yet."

"O yeah. I forgot about that. Sorry." Tank said finally looking up from his paperwork.

"So I'll go start on some searches?" I said going to turn back towards the main floor.

"O no. Not so fast. You'll have plenty of searches to do, but I have other tasks for you to do while the computer runs its programs. I've cleared my morning schedule to go over some of the duties you'll take over while you're here full time."

Other duties? I figured I'd just run searches and make coffee.

Crap

"With Ranger and Bobby gone, all the administrative responsibilities land me on and Lester. We usually break them up between the core team, but we all hate paperwork. We've tried to hire an administrative assistant for the office before, but Ranger and Bobby are anal about how things get done."

Shocker there.

"You'll take over the weekly schedule, trainings and certifications, and inventory ordering for now."

Tank took the next 45 minutes to show me how to go over the schedule and day off request forms, what trainings and certifications were due and how to go through each employee file to find them, and the purchase requests forms.

"Tank. I know you guys know what you're doing and I'm sure you have your reason for doing it this way, but why don't you use a centralized system like **workday **for all this stuff?"

"A What?" Tank looked confused.

"It's a software that does all this for you. Like a digital human resources department."

"There's a computer program that does that?"

I nodded my head.

"Do I need to hire a tech guy to make something like that for us?" I was confused.

Hector was the tech guy.

"Call Hector up here, please." I still wasn't sure who knew Hector spoke English so I played it off like Tank would have to translate.

Tank called Hector up to his office while I got a few bottles of water from the break room. I walked past the coffee pot and almost lost it. I was in such a rush this morning I hadn't eaten anything yet and was starting to feel pretty queezy, so I grabbed a whole grain muffin off the counter and scarfed it down before going back to Tank's office.

Usually those muffins taste like cardboard, Ella must be doing something different with them because that one was delicious.

When I walked back into Tank's office, Tank and Hector were just staring at each other.

I felt like I had just walked into a dog fight.

"Shut the door, Stephanie." Tank said through gritted teeth.

"Um, this looks like I should go." I started to back out the door.

Tank gave me a look like shut up and do what I say.

Which sent me into rhino mode.

I walked over to the door, slammed it shut and turned to look back at Tank and Hector who were still staring at each other.

"OK, first of all, who do you think you are?" Jersey sass in full swing.

Tank looked shocked and Hector started laughing hysterically.

Tank looked at Hector even more bewildered at him laughing. I very rarely heard Hector laugh and even then it was never near Rangeman.

"Who…..do…you…..think….you….are?" Hector spat out between laughing.

"O shut it Hec." Tank looked like he was trying not to laugh himself.

"Did I miss something here?" I'm really confused.

"I called Hec up here, per your request, to talk about this _workday_ thing. Apparently this is a sore spot for him." Tank explained.

"I told jefe almost 2 years ago about workday. I said it would make paperwork easier here. He said ok, do it. So I call the company and set it up. Then when ready to go, he says no. I don't want it." Apparently Tank knew about Hector speaking English.

"So Ranger was the one who said no to workday?"

"I've kept it active and updated. All the information is there and ready to go. It took almost 8 months for the initial set up with the company, and it wasn't cheap. I wasn't shutting it down." Hector said.

"Paranoid Fucktard" Tank mumbled.

"Did you just call Ranger a "paranoid fucktard"?" I was shocked.

"He is. We've kept all of his info out of Rangeman online since Scrog. Hector has secured everything with more firewalls than the government has, especially after the data breach. All of your info and his is all stored on a private server, not connected to anything." He explained.

"Ok. So what you're telling me is we have the systems to run everything, and we don't because the owner of the company is paranoid?"

Both Hector and Tank nodded their heads.

"And none of Ranger's information is in this?" I asked Hector. He nodded

"I'm not stupid, Estephania. You know this. I keep everything classified on private servers. The only things we use this workday system for is schedule, Purchasing, Time card management, stuff that businesses use. All the other information, including the health records are on a different system and server. This was only to make the guys admin work easier for them."

"Then get it up and running. I've used it before so I'm pretty familiar with it, unless it's changed. We can teach the other guys, it's all pretty simple. It's not fair to Tank and Lester to have to do all this work by hand when they are gone. This would take me forever to do by myself."

"Ranger is gonna be pissed." Tank said looking at Hector

"It was Estephania's idea, so he will think it was brilliant." Hector said sounding irritated.

Tank picked up his phone and called Lester into his office.

Lester came bounding in, kissed me on the cheek, and plopped down on the couch.

"Hola, ¿que pasa?"

"Stephanie just came up with an idea to make my job a hell of a lot easier and eliminate a lot of the administrative paperwork I do every day." Tank looked smug.

"What the hell, that's not fair! I want her help. I'm never gonna get to go back in the field with all these damn purchasing contracts." Lester was whining like a 5 year old.

"You guys act weird when Ranger is gone." I said looking around. I could tell Tank was just messing with Lester by not telling him I would be doing the purchasing orders too.

"No, we act differently behind closed doors, out of view from our subordinates." Tank said.

'I'm a subordinate." I said to Tank

"No you're not, you're a mem…" Hector shut up abruptly with a death look from Tank.

"I'm a what?" I asked looking at Hector. He just shook his head like _I'll tell you later._

"Lester acts the same all the time." I pointed out.

"Les is an idiot who never gets left in charge." Tank said.

Rude

"Too much paperwork being left in charge. Screw that." Lester said not sounding even offended in the slightest.

I felt a huge weight being lifted off my shoulders. I could help the guys get set up in the next 2 weeks and wouldn't feel like I left them high and dry.

I went down to the basement with Hector to his office and started working on getting all the files updated and relearning a system I haven't used in years.

Before I knew it, it was after 7:00 pm, and Hector was telling me to go home.

He had set me up on a company laptop connected to the secure Rangeman servers so I could work on it at home.

I went home, took some Tylenol for my foot, propped it up on the coffee table and started going through all the files and parts of the system to relearn it all.

I ate some frozen pizza, took a nice hot shower, and watched some late night TV.

It was weird being home and in bed by 10. Usually I was staking out some FTA, doing a distraction for Ranger, or watching the game at Joe's.

It was kind of nice, though I had a feeling I would start to hate the monotony of it soon enough.

I woke up, on time this morning, got dressed in my standard Rangeman gear, threw up twice, and headed to the office a little early.

Before heading up to 5, I stopped on 3 and went to talk to Jess. I didn't get to talk to her yesterday about my fun little visitor on Sunday morning.

"Hey, how's it going?" I asked walking through the front door of the medical suite.

"You know who scared the crap out of me Sunday on my morning run, so I'm guessing he was here to see you." She said looking up from what looked like taking inventory.

"Yep. Crawled into bed at God knows what hour of the morning."

"Crawled into bed?" Jess asked.

"He does that, just takes over my bed and lays on top of me, suffocating me."

"He's a weird guy." Jess laughed

Another understatement I thought to myself and just kinda laughed.

"Soooo….." Jess drawled.

"2 weeks. I don't know where though."

"I do. You're not gonna like it either." She said.

"Ok, now that he told you and not me, I'm a little irritated"

"He didn't tell me, and he doesn't know that I know." Jess said quietly.

"What?"

"He mention the name Cat?" She whispered.

"Yeah, he said she would be helping me. He also told me Lester was the best tracker and he knows for a fact he can hide me from him. Is Lester tracking Cat?" The question had been burning in my mind for 2 days.

"Dinner tomorrow night, your place. I'll explain what I can. But not in this building."

I looked at my phone and saw it was 7:55, "I gotta get upstairs. I'll see you tomorrow night. 7 good?"

"I'll bring Pino's"

"A woman after my own heart" I told her walking out of the medical office.

I went back up to 5 and started unpacking the laptop. I would use that from now on for everything and Hector transferred all my files to it yesterday.

I walked past Ranger's door and felt my heart contract. I missed him and wondered constantly where he was and if he was ok. I guess this was a feeling I would have to get used to, but promised myself it would get better when I knew he was back, even if I wasn't here.

I spent the next two days setting up all the files and scheduling work group meetings over the next week. I wanted to get everyone up and running before I left. It didn't seem like nearly enough time.

I spent all of Wednesday training Tank how to use it. He asked me why he had to learn it if me and Hector were there, and I used the excuse I was only going to work in house till my foot was healed, then I was going back to the bonds office. He started mumbling something about "Not if I have anything to say about it". I decided to just ignore it.

Even if I wasn't leaving in a week and a half, I sure as hell wouldn't be working here full time with Ranger after the little man showed up.

Talk about awkward.

I was putting the final touches on the training presentation I had for the first round of guys tomorrow when my phone rang. It was Jess

"O CRAP! Are you at my apartment already?" I asked her

"Nope, its only 6:45 and I'm just now picking up Pino's. You've been so busy the last 2 days I had a feeling you would lose track of time again after Tank told me you were there till 2030 last night."

Tank had cornered me last night about 8pm and tried to convince me to take an apartment on 4. He had obviously thought about it because he made some really good points that, if I hadn't gotten knocked up, I probably would have taken him up on the offer.

"Ok. I'm leaving now." I said

"Leave the laptop there." She said sternly

"Jeeze. Fine. I'm leaving it here."

I left it sitting on the desk and hobbled my way to the elevator and out to my POS. I drove home and made it up to my apartment by 7:00.

Jess was waiting at the front door with a pizza box and a big takeout bag.

"Good timing, just got here." She said as I opened the door.

She put all the food on the kitchen counter and we dug in. I gave Rex a piece of salad greens and he stuffed it into his cheek and ran up into one of his tunnels. He didn't spend as much time in his soup can now that he had tunnels.

Jess grabbed her cell phone and shut it off and went to my bedroom.

"Uh. What was that about?" I asked when she came back.

"Have you noticed Lester isn't exactly fond of me?"

"Not really. I just thought he was upset Bobby was gone."

"Like I said before, I was close to Cat and he thinks I know where she is. Which I do. So the fact that I won't tell him pisses him off. He and Tank have gotten into it over the years about bringing me onto Rangeman when Bobby is gone. He thinks I'm "untrustworthy"." She said using her fingers as quotations.

"He's done some sneaky shit over the years looking for her. I wouldn't put it past him to put a bug in my cell."

"Wow, I didn't know any of this before. Les has always been the goofball. He seemed cool with you before"

"Always has been, but he can be very serious when he needs to be."

"So Cat is indeed your friend you told me about. Who Lester has been tracking." It wasn't a question.

"I know I probably don't have to tell you this, but all of this stays between us."

"Oh, I'm not going to be the one to tell Lester he has a kid. That is NOT a conversation I want to have with anyone."

Literally, anyone.

"So yeah. You know the bulk of the story. Cat found out she was pregnant on an OP and decided it was safest for them all if she went away. So she did. I've never seen or heard of another tracker as good as Lester is. Most people don't even know Diesel exists, so it's easy for him to be number one. You make mistakes hiding when you don't even know there's someone coming after you." She said taking a big bite of salad greens.

"I had asked him just the other day actually about how I never see him with women. He got really defensive about it. Now I guess I know the truth."

It all made sense now. Lester loved her and she left him. And to be the best tracker and not be able to find her must be eating away at him daily. Guys and their easily bruised egos.

"This is why I wanted to tell you. It hurts to leave, but I've had to watch both of my friends be miserable for the last 6 years. I've also had to watch a little boy grow up without his dad. He just turned 5 a few months ago and he's starting to be aware he doesn't have a Dad like the other kids. I don't know what Cat is going to tell him when he finally does start to ask more serious questions."

I was quiet for a few minutes while I took everything in. I was second guessing my decision and having a hard time convincing myself it really was for the best.

"So Diesel called in a favor to her. To help me?" I asked Jess

"She called me after talking to Diesel. He told her you were connected with Ranger in a way and that's why he wanted her to help you out. She called me and I hope you don't mind, but I did tell her a little bit about you. She initially said no, you were too close to Lester and if he ever found you, he would find her. She only agreed to help you out after hearing it was Ranger's baby."

I thought I would be upset she told someone who was a complete stranger to me about everything, including that it was Ranger's baby, but instead I was thankful to her. If it wasn't for her right now, I would be totally on my own and I didn't have the slightest damn clue what I was doing.

"Thank you. I know you stuck your neck out for me and you've been a great friend to me, even though I've barely know you a week."

"You're family to Tank and Lester. And they are my family." Jess said

"So, care to tell me what city I'll be living in?" It was killing me not knowing, especially since she told me I would hate it.

"Well It's not Detroit." She said smiling.

"That makes me think it's not much better." I had a good feeling I was going to be somewhere cold and not the sun filled beach I was so desperately hoping for.

"It's a lot better than Detroit."

"Quit playing! Diesel wouldn't say anything either."

She pulled something out of one of the fast food bags. It was another, smaller gift bag.

She handed it to me with a smile.

"What's this?" I asked

"Just a little something for you in your new city."

I pulled the orange fabric out of the gift bag and held it up.

It was V-neck maternity t-shirt made of bright orange faded fabric with a brown, growling bull dog on the front that said FUTURE DAWG POUNDER underneath.

"Cleveland? As in Cleveland, OHIO?" I asked

"Hey, at least it's not Detroit." Jess smiled.


	12. Chapter 12

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

Cleveland, Ohio's Wikipedia page was actually pretty interesting. I spent the night after Jess left lying in bed reading about the city. It didn't seem all bad till I got to the part labeled "climate".

At first it didn't seem much different than Trenton weather. Four seasons, Warm and humid summers with cold and snowy winters. Then further scrolling down the page revealed something called "lake effect snow" that causes over 100 inches of snow during the winter.

100 inches of snow! In one year! I looked up Trenton's average yearly snowfall and it was only 23 inches. Cleveland did get less rain. I guess I could look at that as a positive, I thought while drifting off to sleep.

I dreamed of Ranger in a cold, snowy climate. He stuck out like a sore thumb. His dark hair, creamy mocha skin, and all black clothing did nothing to hide him in the white. I was hiding from him in the snow and he couldn't see me. My fair complexion hid me among the mounds of snow. He was searching and searching looking around for me and he was yelling my name. I was afraid he would find me. I wanted to yell for him to see me, but knew I couldn't let him find me or the small bundle I was holding. The baby looked like Ranger but with a lighter complexion. He had the same dark, almost black, straight hair and eyes just a shade or two lighter. He didn't make a sound as I looked at him and Ranger's voice got closer. I looked up and was standing just a few feet away from him and he didn't even see me. I looked down again and turned my back to Ranger, walking away. As I walked away I could hear his voice getting softer and softer till I couldn't hear him at all anymore.

…

I was wandering around the office Friday morning, getting ready for the first round of training meetings with the guys in the conference room later in the afternoon when Hector came in and shut the conference room door.

"What's wrong?" He asked quietly

"What? Nothing's wrong. Why?"

"You're acting weird the last week." He was squinting his eyes at me. I was afraid he would somehow see right through me. I tried to think of an excuse quickly.

"Just a lot going on. Broke my foot and now working here, getting this program setup. It's a lot of change at once."

"You miss jefe." It wasn't a question. He knew I missed Ranger. He never pushed me to talk about him, but he knew I loved him.

"Yeah. I just hope he comes home soon." I said while thinking, well hopefully not TOO Soon.

"He will be back and everything will be better. You and Joe are done for good now. Ranger might not be the good Puerto Rican man you deserve, but a Cuban is still better than an Italian." He smiled as he started walking towards the door.

"Hey! I'm Italian!" I yelled as he laughed and opened the door and walked out.

I thought about yelling at him again but he would fain like he didn't speak English anyways.

I got through the day setting everything up with only two calls to Hector or Tank to help me set up the projector.

…

The next week flew by with trainings, questions, setting everyone up with passwords and downloading the application on their company phones.

I had decided to come in and work through the weekend to make sure it was all set up. I think it was guilt driving me to work so much, knowing I had a limited amount of time.

It was close to ten when I finally got home on Thursday night. I was exhausted, feeling sick, and my foot was throbbing.

I had still gotten no further on the letter to Ranger and kept writing and throwing away everything I wrote. I must have written the same letter 25 times. I was watching TV the other night and someone had recorded their final messages to their loved ones with video. I set up my phone on the kitchen table, propped up against my cookie jar that still housed my gun, and decided to give it a try.

"Yo….I have a lot to say, and I don't have a clue how to say it. First things first, I have NOT been kidnapped again. I know that would probably be the first thing all the guys think when I don't come to work on Monday. I left them all letters too so hopefully they weren't running around freaking out. I don't know when you'll get this message. I hope you're safe and will come home soon."

I took a deep breath and stared at my hands for a solid 5 second before continuing.

"Over the last few years you have been my mentor, my friend, employer, lover, that sounds weird to say, but I don't really know what else to call it. You tried to train me, kept me safe, and rescued me more times than I can count. You have taught me more about this job and this world than I ever thought possible, and without you, I would have been dead a long time ago. For that I will be forever grateful."

"I broke my damn toe the morning you left actually so Tank asked me to come work for Rangeman. I changed a few things, and if you totally hate it, don't get mad at the guys. It was my idea. Hopefully it makes your, Tank, Lester, and Bobby's lives easier."

"Tank is a mess when you're gone, but you know he'd never admit it. He hates the paperwork and the business aspect of everything." I laughed thinking about Tank lighting up when he saw how the programs worked and knowing he'll never have to write out another schedule.

Enough babbling, Steph, deep breath.

"I've decided after some consideration to leave Trenton. I just don't feel like there's anything left for me here anymore. Me and Joe have split for good, which is something we both agreed we should have done a long time ago. We were hanging on to a relationship out of comfort and convince. Not love and mutual respect."

"It may seem immature to just up and leave, but I feel moving forward is something I have to do, and I won't be able to do that in Trenton. I also know that If I tell everyone where I'll be going, you will just come there and convince me to come home and everything will go back to the way it was before."

I took another deep, steadying breath trying to keep the tears from falling and thought:

Screw it. I'm going to say it.

"Ricardo Carlos Manoso. I love you. I have for a long time. As much as I wish that was enough, I know it's not. I know if I continued to stay in Trenton it would be the same pattern. You and me with the stole kisses in the alley, the flirting, and the nights spent together before you leave in the morning for God knows where, and for how long."

The tears were falling now and I couldn't stop them if I tried.

"You are the greatest man I have ever known, and when you promised to ruin me for all other men, you really kept your word on that one." I laughed slightly.

"I hadn't actually planned on telling you any of this in the letter I was writing you, but I guess there's no time like the present. I don't know when, or if I'll ever come back to Trenton. Maybe one day. I don't want you to worry about me though. I've got some friends keeping an eye out for me now, and I promise to stay out of trouble."

"I know you'll look for me. And I know how you get. I don't want you to spend all your time and resources chasing me down. I'm leaving because I know it's what's best for everyone. I want you to continue to live your life and I want you to try and be happy. I want you to continue to make the world a better place."

"I'll see you again one day."

"I love you. Don't get shot."

I reached out and pressed the end recording button on the phone. I really hadn't planned to say most of that, but it all just came out.

I sat at the table and cried, my hand falling to my still flat stomach. I told him why I was leaving, even if I did omit just one small little detail.

I saved the recording to an email draft. I would have Diesel send it after we leave. I knew I wouldn't be taking my personal phone with me and I would have him take care of it when we left.

I went to bed knowing tomorrow was going to be my last day of work. I just had to make it through this one last day. I had to keep my crap together long enough to make sure no one knew.

My letters were ready. I had taken out all the cash I had in the bank yesterday. I actually tried to take it out Tuesday but the damn bank made me order that much cash and it took 2 days to get.

I was afraid someone from Rangeman would get wind of it, but when Mindy, the teller at the window I went to High school with asked about it, I told her I was finally going to buy myself a nice car. She laughed at me and asked "Why? You're just going to blow it up anyways."

I never liked Mindy.

I had been waiting to pack up my things in my apartment in case one of the guys or someone else stopped by for no reason. It happens.

I had my last dinner with my parents last night. Grandma was there and it was not the calm family dinner we had had last week. She was going on about some new AARP card holder she was dating and giving awful details about the southern anatomy of an older man. Between that and morning sickness that was never only in the morning, I had to concentrate on not throwing up all over the pork roast my mother made for dinner.

…

I woke up Friday morning and went into the office like it was any other Friday.

There was a difference between today and the last two weeks though. The system was up and running and everyone was using it. I didn't have anything to do.

I stopped by Tanks office, and he was suiting up like Rambo about to go on a mission.

"Nothing says good morning like a utility belt covered in enough ammo to take out a small army." I said as my morning greeting.

"Isn't it great?" Tank smiled. He did that a lot more this last week.

"Are you off to tame a band of rebels this morning?" I joked

"We got wind of a high dollar FTA just hit Newark early this morning. We're hoping to catch him off guard while he's still jet lagged."

Not the first early AM bust, probably won't be the last, I thought.

"And thanks to you and Hector, I can actually go. I'm not stuck here doing paperwork all damn day."

I felt arms come up from behind me and wrap around my shoulders to pick me up.

"Beautiful and your beautiful mind!" Lester said while smacking his lips dramatically on my cheek.

"Do you know I haven't looked at a purchase order all week? The requests come in on my phone. I click approve or deny. That's it. I went over 10 yesterday on the way to a client's house. No papers, no filing, no signing off!"

"You guys are WAY too excited about this." I laughed.

"IT'S AWESOME!" Lester practically yelled.

"Um, yeah. So, I don't actually know what to do today." I told Tank

Tank looked confused for a second.

"Everything you were going to have me do here, I put a program in place to do it. I outsourced my own job." I laughed.

"Don't worry. There's a bunch of searches for you to run today and I know we can find more for you to make better. I don't even care if Ranger is pissed when he gets back. Whatever you and Hector think is best, well do it."

Tank looked at his watch and told Lester it was time to go.

I went over to my cubby and ran searches till lunch. I visited Ella for lunch, and she even let me help her prep for dinner.

I worked on a few more things and talked to some of the guy till about 5. Tank and Lester had got caught up in Newark dealing with the drop-off of their FTA, apparently he was slightly injured during the takedown, accidental I'm sure, and the guy was wanted by the feds too, making things a little more difficult.

I got in the elevator to go down to the garage, but pressed 7 instead.

I fobbed my way into his apartment and just stood in the doorway. It was never a "homey" place, but it felt even emptier without Ranger here.

I walked around aimlessly, finding my way to the bedroom. It was hard not to just lay down on his bed and cry myself to sleep.

I pulled his shower gel out of the bathroom and put it in my purse. Then I went to his closet and stole his black silk boxers.

I can't keep anything with a Rangeman logo on it, so I have to leave all the T-shirts I've snagged over the years, so I rationalized my theft that way.

I walked around a few more minutes, taking it all in. Tears started to slide down my cheeks and I decided it was time to go. I walked out, locked the apartment, rode the elevator down to the garage and got in my crappy car.

I took a deep breath and pulled out of the building. As I watched the building fade into the distance in the rearview mirror, I said to myself.

"Good bye, Rangeman."


	13. Chapter 13

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

…

I woke up Saturday feeling conflicted. I knew I was being immature. I was running away from rejection because I was scared. I sat in bed for a while thinking about leaving and if it really was the best option.

Maybe it wasn't.

Maybe I was just being childish.

When I walked out into my living room, I got a memory of Ranger on his knees with Scrog over him, ready to execute him.

And Julie.

That cemented it for me. I was leaving. I couldn't let this baby grow up like Julie.

Julie had kept in touch and was creating more of a relationship with Ranger over the last few years but there was still an awkwardness to it.

They weren't really sure how to communicate with each other, and Ranger was holding onto that guilt and fear someone else would come after her. He beefed up security for her and it made being a normal teenager damn near impossible.

She had Ron, and she says he was a great Dad, but whenever I talked to her I could feel the hurt of not having Ranger around.

Rachel had gotten on the phone once when Julie called me and told me that she never loved Ranger. Their marriage was for Julie. Julie had always been, and now with her other 2 children, will always be, her main priority.

She told me her children were everything to her and thanked me for helping save her.

I wasn't sure at the time what to say to that. I had never had maternal instincts to anything other than Rex.

But now I was starting to understand. No matter what happens, I have to make sure my child is happy and healthy. And staying in Trenton will make sure that doesn't happen.

At that I started to pack. I had all day and since I wasn't taking much, it should be easy.

I spent the day going through tons of stuff I had forgotten about. Stuff from my marriage, college, and high school years.

I sat on my bedroom floor for hours with pictures of me and Mary Lou at high school graduation, me and Lula at the bonds office, pictures of my Grandpa and me before he died. Me and my dad the day I got my license. He looked so proud of me. He had almost that same look when I took that same car and ran Morelli over with it.

I wasn't really sure what to do with it all.

I ran to Home Depot, got 4 big plastic totes and packed everything in there. I put them in the bedroom closet with a note on top for Grandma to have my Dad put them in the attic. I thought maybe one day I would want the stuff, but didn't want to take it with me now.

At about 7 Jess was knocking on my door with pizza in hand.

"I came to help." She said looking around.

"I'm leaving most of everything here. My Grandmother will probably move in so I want to make sure she has everything she needs."

"Your grandma is like straight up crazy, right?"

"Yeah, heaven help whoever tries to break in here. If seeing her doing God knows what with whatever senior citizen she hooks up with that week doesn't make them jump out the window her oversized pistol sure as Hell will take care of the job."

Jess gave a grimace and a full body shake at the mental image of that.

"So what needs packed up before D gets here? When is D getting here?"

"He said middle of the night, so I have no freaking clue."

"Always with the dramatics." Jess laughed

"Everyone seems to know who Diesel is, but never tells me how they know him. Just that they "cross paths" and Ranger doesn't like him."

"Don't tell him I told you, cause it will ruin his mysterious image, but Diesel was Navy. His special abilities are his years of highly classified training. He'll tell you he's supernatural and the ones he tracks are too, but I don't believe that. He was a Seal, that's all I know. Everything is highly classified when it comes to Diesel."

"Well that's boring"

She opened up the box of pizza and the smell made me gag.

"Ok I know I haven't known you that long, but you love pizza."

"Freaking Ranger and his healthy DNA. All I want to eat is salad and fruit. I figured out whenever I eat anything like pizza or even slightly unhealthy I get sick as a dog in the morning." I said blowing out an exasperated breath.

"O that sucks. I brought a salad too. Hope you like olives."

"You have so much to learn about me." I laughed.

I ate damn near the whole salad and it was delicious.

"So are you ready to go?" Jess asked as we were packing up the rest of my clothes into the 2 suit cases and garbage bags.

We had been packing for 2 hours and these were the last 2 bags to pack. Everything else was staying, or going to the dumpster.

"I guess. I feel like I've got everything ready to go. I put all my letters in the mail so they will all be delivered Monday morning. Bank account closed. I didn't know who to give my crappy car to. So I had the title notarized and left in Albert's name. Maybe he and Val can sell it for a few bucks."

"I didn't mean the logistics. Are YOU ready to go?"

"No."

"Cold feet?"

"No."

"Are you sure you really want to do this, Steph? We can call D and cancel."

"I want to do this. I'm just worried. I feel like there's a lot riding on this. If I screw up it's not just me anymore. And what if Cat doesn't like me?"

"Cat will love you. I talked to her before coming over. She's actually pretty excited to meet you. She said it will be nice having someone around who she can talk to. Plus she's excited about having a baby around. Her son is 5 now and out of that "cute baby" stage."

"Is there something I can do for her as a thank you? You know what she likes."

"She'll say she doesn't want to know. But bring pictures of Lester and the rest of the guys if you have any. She misses them."

I took out my phone and laptop. I transferred all my pictures and videos to a memory card and stuck it in my pocket.

"Is this going to cause more problems with you and Lester?"

"Oh, yeah. He'll put two and two together. Him and Tank will fight. Lester will disappear for a week again. I'll have to give him an IV after a three day bender. We'll hug it out, ill lie. We've been through this before. Every time he thinks he's got a lead on Cat and it falls though, he goes through the same thing."

"When was the last time that happened? I've never seen or heard of any of this before you."

"About 3 years ago, probably. He keeps it quiet."

"He's a whiney pain in my ass" Diesel said popping in out of nowhere.

"He loves her. You know he won't stop looking." Jess said like Diesel appearing out of nowhere didn't just scare the crap out of her.

"He's gonna start waterboarding you for information pretty soon."

"Nah. Tank won't let him."

"I thought you said middle of the night? Its only 10." I said.

"Long drive. Start now we'll be there by morning."

"I guess this is it then." I said looking at Jess

"Which rolling death trap are you in this time? I'll start loading the bags so you can do your thing."

"Blue monte carlo."

"You look for all your trackers?" He asked me.

"Yeah I found about 4 over the last 2 weeks and kept them on me or the car. I just took them out of my bag today, the two are still on the car."

Diesel took out a thing that looked like a 2 way radio and started scanning over the bags. He would clear one, and Jess would take it down.

He finally waived the detector over me and it started going off at my head.

"Ranger give you those earring?" Diesel asked.

"Yeah, a birthday gift a few years ago. I should have guessed there was a tracker in them." I said pulling them out of my ears. I held them in my hands wishing he hadn't done that. I loved these earrings.

"Ok. Everything is clear. Let's Roll."

"I come up to see Cat at least twice a year. I can't get away much more than that with Lester constantly on my ass, and I sure as hell won't be able to come up till Bobby gets back and I'm out of Trenton. Diesel will set you up with a secured line when you get there. You'll be able to email me from that."

"Can you do me a favor tonight? I recorded Ranger a video and it's all ready to get emailed to him, it just needs sent from my phone. Can you send it Monday morning?" I asked handing her my cell phone.

"No problems. I'll take care of everything here."

I hugged Jess "Thank you for everything the last few weeks."

"That's what family is for. I'll see you soon. Remember to take care of yourselves." She laughed and walked out the door.

"Let's roll." Diesel said as he grabbed Rex's habitat off the kitchen counter.

I took a deep breath and grabbed my bag off the counter. I did one was check to make sure I had everything.

"Good bye apartment. Don't get blown up with Grandma here." I said and locked the door.

I took the elevator down to the basement, slipped my note with 3 months' rent, and the keys inside it under Dillon's door and went back up to the parking lot.

Diesel already had Rex's cage secured in the back seat. He handed me a folder labeled SAM to me as I got in the passenger seat.

"This is your life now. Learn it. You're easily recognizable, so when we get there were going to have to change a few things. Hair color and style. At least for a little while till you get settled in and the initial search is over. They are gonna look for you. We at least need new IDs to have a different look, even slightly."

"How long till we get there?" I asked

"We'll take a break about half way there for an hour or so, grab something to eat. So less than 8 hours hopefully."

"Is Cleveland going to be far enough away to hide me? I mean that's not even a 7 hour drive."

"They will expect you to go further away. Somewhere warmer, like southern California or Florida. They will concentrate their searches there. Remember what I said about hiding in plain sight? I will give you a heads up though, if Jess picks up on any chatter about Rangeman opening new locations within a 150 mile radius, you guys will have to move. Hasn't happened yet, but they are rapidly expanding around the east."

"Makes sense, guys do all kinds of stuff in the areas surrounding Trenton." I said staring at all the info on my lap.

Diesel pulled out of the parking lot and continued through Trenton.

As he went North on 31 till I couldn't see Trenton anymore, a few tears slipped down my face. I was going to miss everyone. But I was excited about the prospect of a new life.

"Go ahead and rest for a while. We're taking 78 and 80 through PA to keep outta the busier cities. It's a boring drive. We'll stop in State College for something to eat about 3am or so. Ill wake you up then." He pulled a pillow and soft blanket out of the back seat for me.

"Thanks"

I must have dozed off reading all the details about Samantha cause the next thing I knew Diesel was shaking me awake outside something called Sheetz.

"You ready Sammy?" Diesel said

"I don't think I like Sammy. Just Sam, or Samantha is good for now."

"Aww but I like Sammy." Diesel pouted.

"I thought we were getting something to eat. I'm starving."

"Construction on 80 has us a bit behind schedule. We'll grab something here and get back on the road."

"But IHOP is right across the street."

"No time Sammy. Cat will be waiting on us." Damn. I really wanted pancakes.

Diesel started taking all the bags out of the car and transferring them to a green Jeep Grand Cherokee that was parked next to us that had Pennsylvania plates.

I took Rex out of the back seat, and secured him in the back of the Jeep. He was sitting in the tunnel at the top of the cage just looking around.

We went in, ordered our food, went to the bathroom, and were back on the road in less than 20 minutes.

"Do they have those gas stations in Cleveland? That place is awesome."

"Yeah, scattered around Cleveland and Pittsburg. It's a nice one stop shop kinda place."

"Why is Cat going to be waiting on us?" I asked Diesel.

"She's going to meet us outside Pittsburg to swap and change up your appearance. We're supposed to meet her by 7. That construction put us too far behind schedule."

"How much are you going to change my appearance?" I hope they weren't planning on anything crazy like giving me a new nose or something.

"Your nose is safe. But your hair, not so much." He said looking over at me.

"I'm not sure how much you'll be able to change with it. I've tried to tame this beast before, it doesn't end well." I thought about Mr. Alexander and my bright orange hair. God please don't give me orange hair again.

"Were about 3 hours out still. What questions do you have for me? Once I drop you off, that's the last you'll see of me for a while."

"Where am I living? The address says Strongsville on the license."

"Suburb of Cleveland. Nice area. You'll be living in a house next door to Cat. She bought it about 3 years ago to use as rental property and got lucky the latest tenant moved out last month. You'll be paying her rent. She's got a job set up for you with a private investigative firm in Strongsville. The guy who owns the company is a dad of her son's friend or something. She said that would fit your background."

That sounded promising. Thank God it wasn't retail.

"So I've got a job and a place to live. Thank you again. I would have been totally lost trying to do this on my own."

"Lester would have found you by now if you were on your own." Diesel laughed.

"Hey, I'd like to think I would have made it out of the tri state area before he found me."

Diesel explained my living situation, what I needed to do. How I was to use the new secured lines to contact Jess if I needed to. How I would be able to send emails to him and he would reroute them to who I was sending them to by using random IP addresses.

"So I can still send letters to my Mom and Dad and other people? I thought I wouldn't be able to keep in contact at all." Nice surprise.

"Yes, but don't do it too often. The more you send the more likely you are to slip up, especially at first."

Before I knew it we were pull off the highway and into a small town outside of Pittsburg.

We pulled up behind a standard looking salon outside of a shopping center and went in through the unlocked back door.

Standing there in the back hallway was a mini Lester. It stopped me dead in my tracks. He had the same hair, the same facial feature, and the same mischievous green eyes. The only thing different is about 30 years and a slightly lighter skin tone.

"Hello Miss Pretty lady, are you Sammafa?" He said looking at me.

He even flirts like Lester, Holy crap.

"Um. Yeah. I guess you can call me Sam if you want to." I told the little boy.

I was so stunned staring a baby Les I didn't even notice the gorgeous blonde behind him. She was just slightly taller than me, athletic frame, blue-gray eyes, and a pistol on her right hip. She looked nothing like the little boy, but everything Lester would want in his dream girl.

"This is Alex. And I'm Cat. It's very nice to finally meet you." Her smile was wide and appeared genuine.

"It's really nice to meet you, Jess has told me a lot about you."

"Whatever stories she told you, it was all her fault." She laughed.

"No, nothing like that. Just some general details." I didn't want to say too much here, wherever here was.

Just then a short, stocky older woman came out of the front of the salon.

"Hola, my name is Consuela. You must be Samantha. I'm going to make you look like a whole new woman."

"I'm a little nervous about this. I tried dying my hair blonde once and it ended up looking like a pumpkin."

"O no worry. We'll make sure you don't look like a jack-o-lantern." She laughed.

"Alex, stay with Tia Way-la. I'm going to go help get Sam's stuff into our truck while she starts on her hair, ok?"

"Si, momma." The little boy responded.

Consuela held out her hand for Alex, and he took it and followed her into the front of the salon. The shades were all drawn with little natural light shining through.

"Ok Samantha. Senior says we need to make you look like 's sister. So we are going to go blonde, yes, but no orange, I promise. And highlights. And then we will do keratin blowout, I think. Make curls less wild. I do love your curls though."

"Um, is this going to be a lot of chemicals?" I was worried about sitting in hair dye for hours.

"You are carrying little one, yes?" She asked.

I just nodded. I was still having a hard time saying it out loud and I was going to have to get used to not keeping it a total secret.

"It's all safe for bebe." She smiled

Alex was sitting on a salon chair across from me, playing a game on a tablet and he looked up and asked me, "Do you know my papa?"

"Oh. Um…." I really wasn't sure how to answer this question. I didn't really want to lie, but I didn't want Cat being mad at me for telling him something I shouldn't have.

"Um…" I looked at Consuela who just shrugged her shoulders as she started putting a towel and cape around my neck.

"Yes, she knows your Papa." Cat said as she came walking back in.

"I didn't want to say something I shouldn't have." I told Cat taking a relieving breath.

"I've been honest with him, for the most part. He knows his Papa lives a few states away, and works a very, very dangerous job, with a lot of bad people, who if they found out where he was would try to hurt him and Mamma. He's never met anyone who knows him except Jess. So you intrigue him." Cat said while she looked down at him while running her hands through his dark hair.

Consuela stepped out of the room, and into the back. Diesel came back in and sat down in the chair on the other side of Alex. They first bumped and looked back to me.

"Ok. Cat has your new laptop and secured cell at home. She'll teach you how to use everything and be able to answer all your questions. My part here is done."

"So where are you going now?" I asked.

"Spain." He said with a half-smile and a faraway look in his eyes. I don't think I wanted to know what he was thinking about.

"Thank you for everything. I really owe you big time." I told him

"You know how you can pay me back." He winked at me, got up, and walked to the back.

Alex went running after him and after hearing a "POP" sound, he came running back into the front.

"He did it again! He went POOF!" Alex waived his arms around in the air like a magician.

"Such an imagination, little boys." Consuela said rolling a cart back into the front with a whole lot of stuff on it.

"Ok bud, go ahead and sit and play your game while Sam gets her hair done." Cat told him.

"But I like her hair." He said smiling at me.

"I'm going to have a hard time not calling him by his father's name." I said to Cat.

"Yeah. Nature vs Nurture doesn't apply to this one. Nature won all the way." She laughed.

The next 3 hours were spent while Consuela put more and more goop and tin foil on my hair. I looked in the mirror and was slightly concerned Rangeman would find me by picking up a signal with all the foil I had on my head.

Cat told me all about the area we would be living in, and the back story of me coming there. I was her sister. I wanted to be closer to family since I was pregnant and my husband passed away. She said it was simple, easy, and would make people uncomfortable enough they wouldn't ask too many questions.

After Consuela was done blow drying and brushing my hair, she turned me around to face the mirror.

I was blonde. Like really blonde. I had never had my hair dyed like this before and it was shocking to see. My hair was also straight. Not completely straight, I still had wavy curls on the ends, but it wasn't the wild crazy curls I'd had my whole life.

The lighter color of my hair made my skin appear darker and made my sapphire blue eyes pop even more.

It wasn't me, but I liked it.

"You girls are ready to go. Sam I hope you like your hair." Consuela said to me

"Thank you Consuela, you did a great job. I do love it." I said while touching the newly blonde locks.

She gave me a whole bag of stuff to take with me, Cat gave her an envelope while she hugged her, Alex hugged her goodbye and we left through the back door again.

"I'd like to pay you back for any expenses from getting everything set up." I told Cat when we got in her truck.

"Diesel and Jess both helped me out a lot when I first left the service. Think of this as paying it forward." She said.

"Thank you." I was surprised at the kindness she was showing me. People in Trenton didn't just do things for others like this. There was always a motive behind it.

As we merged onto the Turnpike, headed towards Ohio, Cat looked into the rearview mirror and smiled.

"Never fails, 5 miles into a car ride and he's out cold."

I looked into the back seat and saw Alex slightly drooling, head dropped to the side, fast asleep.

"I can't get over how much he looks like, _him_." I said.

"Since the day he was born. Even as a baby he would smile at all the women in the grocery store and give men that stern faced look." She laughed at the memory.

"He's a sweet kid." I said to her

"Yeah." She smiled looking into the rearview mirror at him again.

She was quiet for another minute then looked over to me sadly and said,

"It's hard. I'm not going to lie and tell you differently. Especially when every day he's more and more like Les. I have days where I regret everything and think about driving to Trenton. Then I remember why I left, and now it's been so long I don't even know how I would approach him if I did." She paused for a second then said,

"It wasn't just Les I left either. We were all a family in an odd kinda way. Jess and Tank, Ranger and Les being cousins, then Tank, Les, and Ranger as a unit was how we all met. I actually was friends with Rachel at one time."

There was so much I didn't know about these group of men I've spent so much time with. It's easy to forget they had lives outside of the service before we met.

"Wow." I breathed. I was surprised she was telling me all this.

"You've never heard my name before Jess or Diesel?" She asked. Not sounding surprised or upset.

I just shook my head, no. I wasn't really sure what to say.

"Jess told me when I first left, when the guys were still all deployed, that Lester flipped when I disappeared. It got worse before it got better, and now the guys just never bring up my name. Which wasn't Cat before, obviously." She laughed at that.

"What was your name?" I hadn't even though about that, Diesel and Jess just referred her as Cat.

"Kelly Stewart. Now I'm Catherina Kirkpatrick. Diesel tweaked your information in your background, so your maiden name Kirkpatrick." She said to me

"He called you Kell?" I vaguely remembered hearing Tank and Lester fighting once a few years ago and hearing the name Kell. It didn't mean anything to me at the time, but I thought it was odd.

"I will tell you it's super weird, being called something for your entire life, only to be called something different. I still look around when I hear a woman calling "Kelly" in the grocery store. Makes me feel like I'm 5 again." She laughed.

"When Alex was born, and I was being admitted to the hospital, I was so freaked out and wrote down the wrong name and birthday!" She laughed.

"Thank God Jess was there. She took the paperwork and corrected everything for me before a nurse could read it and start asking questions."

We continued to talk about the guys and everything that's happened in the last 6 years. A lot she already knew because of Jess. I told her about Julie and Rachel and Ranger. She told me all about the real side of that relationship after Julie was born. I made her laugh from Youngstown to Cleveland by telling her of some of my more comical adventures as a bounty hunter and some of the mishaps I got Ranger into over the years.

As we pulled off the turnpike in the Cleveland area, she looked over to me and said,

"Ok Sam. This is our stop. From here on out Stephanie is gone. You are Samantha Costas. I've arranged it so you don't start work till next week to give you a bit to acclimate. I've scheduled you an appointment with my OBGYN for Wednesday. I took a few days off work to help you out, too. We'll get you a car, and whatever else you'll need for the house. It's mostly furnished already."

She pulled down a narrow driveway surrounded by woods to 2 houses set back from the road.

"Were pretty secluded back here by ourselves." She said

The two houses looked very similar. Ranch style, single story homes. The one on the left was the larger of the two. Both were modeled the same style though, gray vinyl siding with white trim and shutters. A huge pole barn to the back center of the driveway, behind the two houses.

Alex had woken up as soon as the truck stopped and was unbuckling himself out of his booster seat.

"Tia Sammafa! I wanna show you your house!" Alex said jumping down out of the truck.

"Tia? That means Aunt?" I asked Cat.

"You don't speak any Spanish?" She asked.

"Not really, I kept meaning to learn." I admitted

"Tia means Aunt, yes. Alex is obviously Latino so I've tried to keep some of his heritage alive and teaching him Spanish. It's more of a sign of respect for older family members, but if it bothers you, I can tell him just Samantha or Sam is fine."

"No, I kinda like Tia." It wasn't awful. It didn't make my ears ring like hearing the girls yelling "Auntie Steph!"

Alex was trying to pull the side door open with no luck. His mom just walked slowly to him while she jingled the keys in her hand. Alex laughed and ran to grab them from her.

He unlocked the side door, which was inside the one a half car simple garage, and opened to door to the main house.

"Welcome home, Sam." Cat said to me as they waived me into the house first.

The house was remodeled fairly recently with weathered looking laminate floors, and blue-gray paint on the walls and white trim to match the exterior. It had a "modern rustic" kind of look to it and I instantly fell in love with everything about it. It was a secluded and wooded property, but less than 10 minutes to the mall we passed on the way in. And I know I saw a Macy's there.

Appliances were stainless, countertops were black granite. The whole kitchen, dining, living room areas were open and connected.

There was already a slate colored sectional couch in front of the wall mount for a TV.

"Well go Costco today and get everything you need. Me and Alex will start bringing in the bags for you while you look around some more." Cat told me

"Thank you." I said to them both as they walked back into the garage.

I walked through the living room and down a small hallway to the two bedrooms and bathroom. The main bedroom was decent sized with windows facing the woods.

The second bedroom was slightly smaller, perfect for a child.

The bathroom was a good sized and closer to Ranger's bathroom than my decades old apartment bathroom. There a bath tub but it had a waterfall shower as well. Double Vanity sink with large mirror surrounded by lights.

"We remodeled both the houses when we bought this place a few years ago. Used to be the "in-law" suite for the main house before the old owners separated the property and sold them separately. My house looks almost exactly the same. Just more bedrooms and a master bath." Cat said from the doorway

"It's beautiful. I hope this job pays well, otherwise I won't be able to afford rent."

"The Midwest is a lot cheaper than the east coast. Even Trenton. I'm not looking to make any money off this place or you, so you're $550 a month rent literally covers the property taxes and small mortgage on it. You still have to pay utilities though." She smiled.

"I want to pay my fair share. And help out with anything I can." I didn't want to be a burden to Cat, she's already helped me so much.

"O you will." She laughed. "Take a look around and make a list of anything you think you might need. Bed linens, dishes, towels, soap. Everything. We can hit up Costco, Bed Bath and Beyond, whatever you need, Strongsville pretty much has it. I'm gonna go feed the monster a grilled cheese for lunch. You want one?"

My stomach growled at that thought loud enough for Cat to just nod her head and tell me, "Well, I think that speaks for itself, come over through the garage when you're done. Well eat then head out when you're ready."

I put all my clothes and shoes in the master bedroom in the closet and the dresser that was built into the walls. I put the laptop and phone on the kitchen table, unsure of what to do. Figured I'd wait for Cat to show me.

I put Rex on a small section of counter off to the side in the in the kitchen/ dining area.

"Well Rex. Welcome to your new home." I told him while getting his water bottle to put new water and a few hamster crunches in his cage.

Rex just twitched his whiskers and went back to running around the tunnels.

I found a pen and paper on the counter and went through each room, making a list of things I would need to buy today. I wasn't going to worry about the spare bedroom or its needs till later.

After compiling my list, I was thankful Cat had a pickup truck. This was going to be a shopping trip.

I took about $3,000 cash out of the envelope, and put the rest and my "SAMANTHA" folder back in a drawer.

The driveway was gravel and wet and muddy and I was having a hard time navigating the puddles without getting my boot wet. I still had to wear this dumb thing for a few more weeks.

I walked into Cat and Alex's house and was surprised to see it really did look exactly like the other house, just bigger.

It had the same cabinets, the same countertops, and the same floor and paint colors. Even the same exact refrigerator.

"It was cheaper to buy the same stuff, just more of it. Plus. I liked it." She said when she saw me looking around.

"Momma is boring." Alex said, rolling his eyes.

"I'm not boring, I just know what I like." She said sticking her tongue out at him. Their relationship was so playful and open.

They were freaking adorable together.

"Grilled cheese on the counter for ya. And some carrot sticks and apple slices. Cause ya know, I'm feeding a 5 year old, no gourmet meals here. Sorry." She laughed.

"I usually live off peanut butter and Olive Sandwiches. This is gourmet to me."

"Ewww, that sounds gross!" Alex said making gaging faces.

"Don't knock it till ya try it." I said taking a bite of the grilled cheese.

Cat took me and Alex to Costco then Bed Bath and Beyond. I almost totally filled the bed of the pickup truck and it was almost 5pm by the time we got back from the store. I had been awake since Diesel woke me up at Sheetz and 3 am and I was exhausted.

Alex helped me unpack and put everything away while Cat made dinner. After we ate at her place, she came over and helped me get the TVs mounted in the living room and bedroom and set up the cell phone and laptop on the main house's secured wifi.

At this point it was it was after 8 and I was falling asleep at the computer. She helped me put the freshly washed linens on the bed and told me she would see me in the morning.

"Good night Tia Sammafa. I'm happy you're going to live next door to us." Alex said and gave me a hug and a loud smacking kiss on the cheek. It was so much like Lester it was hard not to get a little emotional.

I just smiled at him and said, "Thank you Alex, I'm happy to be living next door to you too. I'll see you in the morning, ok?"

As I laid there in the new house I rubbed my belly while thinking about the mayhem that was sure to happen tomorrow morning when the guys realized I wasn't coming into work.

I felt guilty about everything, but I had this strange feeling of home here with Cat and Alex. I was determined to make the best of my situation and make a good life here for me and my own son.


	14. Chapter 14

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

This is Tank/Les POV. I would like to remind everyone these men are soldiers, and will talk like it. So if you don't like foul language….. Well, just be advised.

…

TANK POV

It's 0930 Monday morning and I'm literally waiting on something to happen. I did my admin duties in less than 2 hours this morning.

I may be one hell of a soldier, but even I'll be the first to admit I suck at computers. When we were deployed I had trouble learning a lot of the newer tech but Lester or Ranger would be there to pick up the slack.

Computers and stuff were always Jess's thing, I was more of a rough and tumble jock.

I blame my big hands and fat fingers.

When Steph brought up this program and Hector said we already had it, I was pissed at Ranger. Usually he's all for this kinda shit but his growing paranoia over the years is setting our company back into the fucking stone ages.

I was still doing schedules and requests off, hand written with pen and paper. Now all I do is click a few buttons on the mouse and it puts everything in.

Ranger has been trying to get Steph to work here full time for a while, but her little "miss independent" thing keeps her from taking the job. She thinks it's a handout, not seeing it as an opportunity.

The fact that he keeps dicking her around isn't helping either. When he went on an OP a few years back, it took over 6 months. He's usually not gone that long. It was a nightmare dealing with all the financial crap on top of all the other daily stuff.

When I met with our accountant Chuck, for the quarterly review, he asked me about the entertainment budget. I wasn't aware of any entertainment budget, all the stuff on 4 for the lounge was listed under employee living expenses.

Chuck gave me the expenses listed as "entertainment" and every single one was Stephanie related. Multiple cars, all destroyed in one way or another, her own auto policy, and a week-long all inclusive trip to Hawaii among other things.

I don't know what happened in Hawaii, but I know it didn't end well. There was no FTA brought back and Ranger came home in a bloody shirt, 5 stitches in his left eyebrow, and a in really bad mood.

I heard Morelli came back in worse shape than that. And both of them came back AFTER Steph.

I was really hoping she got tired of their shit and beat the crap outta both of em. Ranger wouldn't say what happened, and it really wasn't my place to pry.

After the meeting, I asked Lula about it and she had told me some of the things Steph has told her over the years, stuff about "a condom not a ring" and other ridiculous excuses.

So when he got back after I found out about the "entertainment budget", I was sticking my nose in.

The morning he got back, he showed up at Rangeman about 0430 in a pissed off mood. My guess is he went to Stephanie's apartment and found Morelli there. We know he goes straight there before and after leaving, to sit in the chair and watch her sleep.

For a guy who is constantly on the lookout for her newest stalker, he fails to see the irony in the creepy shit he does.

I got a call from Les who happened to be on overnight monitor duty when he saw Ranger head straight to the gym from the garage and proceed to beat the stuffing out of one of the bags.

We've seen Lester do it plenty of times after coming back empty looking for Kell, so we knew it was Stephanie related.

_FLASHBACK_

"_Rough trip?" I said walking in._

"_Fuck off." He said between blows to the second bag. The first bags contents lying on the floor. I wasn't cleaning that shit up and neither was Ella. _

_I'd had a nice slow burning rage since I had the meeting with Chuck and now that he was back, my blood pressure was rising by the minute._

"_O what, you pissed off you couldn't crawl into bed with her, just to give her some lame line in the morning about how you don't do relationships?" My voice dripping with sarcasm. _

_I got a pretty Burg worthy death glare for that comment, but he just turned back to the bag._

"_Oh, so it's ok for you to call everyone else out on their bullshit, but God forbid someone do it to the mighty Manoso?" My voice was getting louder. _

_I was already in a pair of workout shorts and a tank top and kicked my sandals off to the side of the gym. I walked over to the equipment cabinet and started taping up. _

"_We both know why you kept her at arm's length for so long. Same reason you kept Julie out. At the time it was noble and I agreed with it. But they are both in it now. Scrog made sure of that."_

_I walked into the center of the mats, I was baiting him. I knew it. _

"_She's proved herself time and time again she is capable of handling you and the lifestyle that we live. Yes, she needs to be properly trained. MAYBE she would be more interested in doing it if you would talk to her. Tell her the truth. Quit being a self-righteous asshole!"_

_He slowed down the beatings and gave me another glare. I was getting to him._

"_By the way, Chuck came by a few weeks ago. We had our quarterly. I canceled the entertainment budget."_

_That did it. He turned and lunged at me full speed. I was a worthy opponent to Ranger, but I was a big man. He had more speed and agility than me, and I had the bigger bite to my punch. _

_We went full force for a good 10 minutes before Lester and Bobby showed up in the gym pulling us apart. _

After that spar on the mat Ranger started getting more and more involved with Steph, but still hadn't pulled the trigger. She was more willing to be here and was getting closer to everyone here.

She was the little sister around here now, not just Ranger's woman.

When she broke her foot 2 weeks ago I knew that was my chance to get her in here permanently.

Jess being here would help. I had no question about that.

And it worked like a freaking charm!

Me and Lester were so happy with everything she's done the last 2 weeks. We knew it was time to present her with her paperwork. Ranger made her a core team member last year before he left on a particularly dangerous but short OP. Gave her enough of his shares and the rest of us voted to approve it. No one argued. Steph was a perfect addition to the 4 of us. She was the softer side this company, and our team needed her.

I thought for sure Ranger would pull his head outta his ass when he did that, but they continued to play the back and forth with Morelli game.

And now Morelli is outta the picture for good. Everything is falling into place.

Except the fact that shit head wasn't even here. I wasn't waiting for him to get back either. I wasn't going to let her change her mind and go back to working for that scum.

Family or not, that guy was toxic. Literally. I was afraid of getting Hep B anytime I got near him.

Lester was working on getting her "signing bonus" fresh from the dealership and should be here soon.

Porsche Cayenne Turbo in Metallic Moonlight Blue. I'd get her a 911 but I knew she would want to go back in the field and you can't haul anyone into the cop shop in a 2 door.

Just then Lester walked through my door. Dude never knocks.

"Where's Steph?"

"How's the car? I think she's gonna love it."

"No, Tank. She's not here. Her rust on wheels isn't here leaking oil all over the garage and she's not at her desk."

I called Ram who was on monitor duty, "Hey, you see Steph come in yet?"

"No, Sir. I'm checking her key fob activity right now." Ram said.

I shook my head at Lester waiting for Ram's answer.

"No activity on her fob since Friday and car tracker since Saturday, Sir." Ram said

It wasn't totally unusual for her Car not to move all weekend. The trackers in her purse other than her panic button weren't monitored by main control. Hector placed and monitored those personally.

She hated it when we put trackers on her. She's gotten better over the years about having them though. I called Hector's office next and put him on speaker.

"Hector. Pull up Step's tracking history for the last 2 days."

"She went to Home Depot and bakery Saturday. No movement Sunday. Says she's still in apartment now."

"THAT is unlike her. Call Jess on the way to Steph's. See if she's talked to her since Saturday." Lester said as we both started walking out the door.

"I already tried her cell twice, goes straight to voicemail." Lester said as we took the steps to the garage.

Hector was already waiting for us as we exited the stairwell. We all climbed in to one of the Chevy Suburbans we use as a fleet vehicle and I drove directly to Steph's apartment.

Lester was on the phone with Connie checking to see if she had stopped by the bonds office first. He hung up and shook his head at me.

Steph's car was in the parking lot of her apartment building, and neither it nor the building appeared to have any evidence of foul play.

The 3 of us took the stairs 2 at a time to the second floor. Her main apartment door was closed and locked, no signs of forced entry.

I knocked loudly a handful of times, waiting for an answer. She hates when people just break into her apartment, and I can't blame her really.

I started to pull the pick out of my cargo pocket when Hec produced a key for her door.

I looked at him sideways wondering why he had a key to her apartment, but decided not to question him now.

"Stephanie! Me Lester and Hector are here." I yelled loudly into the main living area.

There was no answer so the 3 of us walked in and everything appeared to be in order.

Lester pulled his phone out of his pocket and called control.

"Code blue eyes! Step is missing. No appearance of forced entry. Vehicle still at residence. SOPS are in effect. Contact family members first."

He hung up and called Morelli. Went straight to voicemail, too.

"How do we know she's missing?" I asked. Her apartment looked normal enough. No holes through the wall from a Molotov cocktail, dead guys on her couch, so normal enough for Steph's place.

"Rex's cage is missing." Lester pointed out.

I looked at him questioningly.

"She only takes la rata when she leaves for more than a day. So she's gone, but most likely not taken." Hector said.

I had been sent over to get the damn thing more times than I can remember, so I should have picked up on that.

I called TPD main line, asked for Lenny. I skipped the pleasantries when he picked up.

"This is Tank with Rangeman. Stephanie didn't show up to work this morning. Evidence at her apartment appears no foul play. Have you heard anything from her?"

"No. I haven't talked to, or even seen Steph in weeks, now that I think about it. Morelli's been gone undercover for the feds for a few weeks now too. Hold on a minute."

Lenny put me on hold. I hated being put on hold.

"Ok Tank. I'm with Chief Juniak. I already filled him in."

Joe Juniak was now the Chief of Trenton Police. He was a good family friend of Stephanie's. And a damn good police officer.

"Tank, I'm going to go ahead and issue an APB for Stephanie. We can't technically file a missing person's yet. But considering Stephanie's history, I don't feel comfortable waiting." He said.

THAT is why I called Lenny.

"You've got my number." And I disconnected. I knew he would keep me updated with any pertinent information.

Dillon her landlord walked into the apartment just then. He appeared surprised to see us. And scared.

"Oh. Um. Hi. I…I… I was just coming up to change the locks for Mrs. Mazur."

"Por Que?" Hector said to Dillon making him look like he was going to piss himself.

Hector could play the gangster cholo very well.

"Her note. She said her Grandma Mazur was going to move in." Dillon said pulling it from his pocket.

Hector grabbed the note and read it quickly.

"Ella se fue." He said looking hurt and confused. (She left.)

"What?" Lester grabbed the note and we both read it.

There wasn't a whole lot of information in the letter. Just that she was moving out and leaving Trenton. There was 3 month's rent for her Grandmother and an extra $100 for Dillon to take care of her.

Lester looked like he was just stabbed in the heart.

Me and Hector searched the apartment for any other clues. Her cell phone was gone but her Rangeman laptop and trackers were on the counter. Her apartment furnishings were all still there, but otherwise it looked empty upon further inspection.

No toiletries in the bathrooms. No clothes or shoes in the bedroom. No personal effects. 4 large totes in the bedroom closet with a note on top to have Frank put the stuff in the attic. I opened the totes, just to be sure, and they were nothing but old photos and random mementos from over the years.

"She's not missing. She planned for this." Lester said, sounding more broken by the minute.

This was a case of déjà vu I never expected to experience again.

Just then the phone rang. It was Hal. I put it on speaker as I answered it.

"Report." I barked out.

"Sir, the mail just came. You need to get back here." He said. I'm sure Ram and Cal filled him in already.

"What is it?"

"Letters for you, Lester, Hector, and various Rangeman, all postmarked from Stephanie's apartment, Sir."

"Put them all in my office, were on our way back."

"Am I ok to still change the locks?" Asked Dillon.

"Yes. If I need to get back in I'll come find you." I told him, we both damn well know if I need to get in, I have ample ways of doing it, not requiring his assistance.

As we drove back to Haywood I could see Lester change from sadness, to shock, to anger. When he hit anger I knew where he was going as soon as we hit the garage.

He jumped out of the truck before it was even in park and was up the stairs in seconds.

**LESTER POV**

The empty apartment, the letters, the disappearing without a trace. Her trackers were all found and left. Earrings on the counter. Ranger gave her those earrings. She loved them. She wouldn't have left them unless she knew there were trackers in them. And there would be no way she would know without a pretty high end scanner.

This had Jess and Diesel's names written all over it.

I don't give a shit what they say, I know she had something to do with Kelly going underground. I knew her and Diesel both do. I just can't prove it.

She was gone almost 5 months before I even got word of it. I was in the Middle East and she was supposed to be on an OP in Eastern South America.

I was still enlisted and had limited time but extended resources. I searched for her for 6 months.

I am the best tracker the Rangers had seen in decades and I couldn't find her. I couldn't find a trace of her.

I scanned through thousands of records matching her general description, but running searches for a 5'8 blonde white woman in the United States turns up literally millions of records. I tried to bribe a few alphabet agency agents a handful of times to run her through facial recognition.

I almost got dishonorably discharged for that one.

After about 6 months I tried to accept she didn't want to be found. She left and gave her reasons, even if I didn't believe them, in a lengthy 3 page letter she mailed to my parents' house in Newark before leaving.

Her and Jess were close. And after about a two years I noticed a pattern of Jess disappearing herself for a week or so on end. She had opted not to reenlist and was a civvy now and got a job near Philadelphia.

After that I would track her and her movements for months on end. I knew she would slip eventually.

She would take a vacation every few months or so, but before she did she always called and talked to her big brother, making sure he knew where she was going and asking how the guys were.

He never thought anything of it, but never fail the first 3 years or so when she heard I was out of town, that's when she would take her vacations.

Tank though it was just a coincidence, even after I showed him the evidence. The traced calls, the plane tickets she was never on.

She knew I was searching. I let my guard down around family and the person who was stabbing me in the back was right in front of me the whole time.

Tank figured out I was keeping tabs on his little sister and told me to back off. I told him where to shove it.

We're brothers till the end, but that almost broke us.

After about 4 and a half years, who knows how many bottles of Tequila, and over a million dollars spent searching, Ranger convinced me to stop looking.

"Is it really her you're looking for anymore? Or just the obsession over the fact that you can't find someone?" He asked me one day.

Me and Jess tried to bury the hatchet, but I know it was her.

Her and that freak Diesel. He's better than me. I fucking hate to admit it, but he is. There's rumors that he's "supernatural", and most people laugh it off, but there's something different about that dude.

He's _too_ good.

My anger is rising, not just over Steph, but now my "Kelly issues" have returned.

I hit the ground running before the SUV even stopped moving. I scaled the steps 3 at a time, making it up to the medical suite in record time.

I bust through the door, finding Jess standing at the medical cabinet, taking inventory.

"Where the fuck is she?" I screamed.

"We've been over this. I. DON'T. KNOW!" She yelled the last three words at me like I was a child unable to understand.

"Cut the shit Jess! First Kelly, and now Steph! How many of your friends are you going to help disappear?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" She screamed back at me

"SANTOS!" Tank yelled from the doorway.

I was breathing so hard my nostrils were flaring, all I saw was read. Tank knows I would never lay a hand on Jess, but even I'll admit my restraint was breaking.

"P what is he talking about?" Jess pretended to be concerned. She should have been an actress not an Army medic.

"Don't lie to me, Jess." Tank looked pissed. Maybe he finally believed me.

"What the Hell are you two talking about? I thought we got over the Kelly thing. And what are you talking about Stephanie?"

"Stephanie's apartment is cleaned out. Notes left that she left Trenton. Sound familiar?"

"Stephanie is gone?" Jess asked

"And the golden globe goes to…." I snarked at Jess.

"Lester. I know you and me have never been the same since Kelly left, and we talked about this."

"Right…..But you show up and Stephanie disappears. A little too coincidental, don't ya think?"

"Hector, you and Lester need to leave."

"Fuck that! She's going to tell me where they are!" I started walking towards Jess and Tank grabbed me by the wrists, spinning and pinning me to the wall.

It's a maneuver I can get out of, but it will most likely dislocate at least one, if not both, shoulders.

"I am going to handle this." Tank whispered in my ear.

"I want to read my letter. Let's go upstairs." Hector told me.

"If you don't handle this, then I will. And you won't like the way I handle it this time." I told Tank. I knew I was stepping on family but he had to see it this time.

Jess coming between Me and Tank could kill this unit. And this company.

**JESS POV**

I was prepared for this. I had planned out my speeches, and revised it all in my head. Just like last time with Kelly.

I know I'm lying to my brother. I'm lying to people I consider family.

I know this could kill relationships, and families, and cause catastrophic consequences.

With Kelly, I knew it was right. I was saving her and Alex.

After that cartel came after her stateside, I knew when I was helping her. I was protecting Alex. That's all Kell cared about. Keeping that baby safe.

With Steph I wasn't as sure. I thought I was right, but I still had my reservations.

After she told me everything about Ranger and the dozens of times people have tried to kill, kidnap, and abduct her, I thought about Alex and Kelly.

I watched at Hector pulled Lester out of the room. His green eyes burning holes into me.

We've been through this before. I knew it would take a while longer for him to come down this time. I was prepared.

"Jessia Genevieve Cambray." Pierre growled at me when the door finally closed.

"Pierre Emile Cambray" I cut him off

"Yeah, I know your full name too. Want to explain to me what the hell is going on before you start biting my head off?"

He relayed everything about Steph not showing up to work, the apartment, the letter to her landlord.

"Tell me you didn't have something to do with this. I stuck up for you with Kelly. I told him you had nothing to do with it. I'm starting to believe him, Jessia."

"You think Steph and Kelly both ghosting are somehow related?"

"Diesel was spotted in Trenton two weeks ago, following a pretty black girl on her morning run."

How did he know that?

"I've spent enough time in this city, and have enough connections that people call when things happen. When Diesel shows up, things happen."

Pierre never took this tone with me before. I was NOT prepared for this.

"And you told you that?" I was going on the defense now.

"Remember that woman I was involved with a while back. Lula. Stephanie's friend."

"The gold digger who tried to trick you into getting married? Yeah. Steph told me about her."

"She knows you are my sister. She knows Diesel, even if only in passing."

"So she called you. I've never met Lula before. She could have been mistaken."

"What other person than you and Steph could he possibly have been here to see?"

"I'm not his handler. I don't keep tabs on him." I was sinking. He knew it. I knew it.

"Ya know what. I don't feel comfortable here anymore. I think you should find another medic to take over till Bobby gets back."

"Jessia. I need you to tell me the truth." Pierre had a sadness in his stern tone I was having a hard time lying to it.

I've lied to him and Lester for years. I knew I was burning bridges to keep Kelly's secret. And I used to be ok with that.

We stood there and stared each other down for what felt like hours. He finally took a deep breath. Closed his eyes to calm himself down and looked back at me.

"Pack your things. I'll have another medic here before the end of the day."

He turned to walk back out the door, but turned to me before leaving,

"I hope you have a good reason for this Jessia. I hope it's worth the family you are losing. And I pray to God you come to your sense before Ranger comes home."

If I didn't have Pierre to back me up and defend me against Lester when Ranger came home, I might just wanna join Steph and Kell. Because I was going to disappear when Ranger came home anyways.


	15. Chapter 15

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

**I feel like I could make this story 50 chapters if I really wanted to. **

**But I don't…..**

**So I've decided I'm going to get to the good stuff and skip over a lot of the generic details. **

**We will be skipping backwards and forward in time in the next few chapters. So pay attention! lol **

…

**Lester POV**

It's been over two months since Stephanie left.

Ranger and Bobby still aren't back, but we've got messages they have completed all their check-ins. They could be coming home any day now.

I'm convinced Stephanie is with Kelly and I'm hoping that the two of them together will help narrow down the search, but with Diesel involved, He's going to make finding them that much more difficult.

Hector has been trying to crack every system he can searching for clues to where they might be. He's been working later hours trying to keep up with Rangeman duties while still searching for Steph. I know it's frustrating to him, he's one of the best computer guys I've ever met and he can't find anything on them either.

Morelli came back after about a month, about 2 weeks after Steph left. He was promoted to federal liaison and has been helping us as much as he can, but even my and Tank's clearances are miles above his.

That Monday we discovered she was gone was one of the worst days of my life. It brought back all the anger of Kelly being gone.

It's been 6 years. I haven't been with another woman since her. I know a lot of the guys think I'm the "ladies' man", but that dog and pony show keeps them off my back and they don't question when I go somewhere overnight.

I've kept in contact with her parents and Grandmother. Her mother feels responsible for a lot of her resentment towards Chambersburg, and feels that's why she left.

I don't think she's wrong.

Jess left that same day. Tank no longer believes she didn't have anything to do with Kelly and Steph leaving.

I could tell that hurt him, worse than Steph leaving. His little sister has been lying to him, to everyone, for years. And he stuck up for her, and almost ruined his relationships with his brothers.

She went back to work at her regular job and has kept quiet. I've kept an eye on every movement she's made in the last two months. I went up without telling Tank and placed trackers and bugs in her apartment and Hector monitors her internet activity. She hasn't so much as sneezed suspiciously.

Diesel has been nowhere to be found either. Not unusual for him.

I was half tempted to detain her and get the information out of her in one way or another, but Hector kept me from doing something that would have for sure torn me and Tank apart.

I'm at my wits end and driving myself crazy all over again.

We had set up a 'search command central' of sorts in the smallest of the conference rooms. The walls were covered with every bit of information we had and possible leads.

I didn't sleep anymore. The search for Kelly and Steph at the forefront of my mind once again. It's consumed me for the last two months. It wasn't out of the ordinary for Tank to find me passed out in a chair in front of this board.

It was 0300 and I was staring at all the information, for thousandth time, when the voice behind me made my blood run cold.

"The fuck is this?" Bobby's home.

I knew if Bobby was back, the chances Ranger was too, are high.

He was thinner, the dark circles under his eyes and healing scars to his face an indicator the last few months were pretty rough.

"Bobby, Welcome home, man."

He didn't answer me, he just stared at the board, taking it all in.

Just then I heard glass shattering and sounds of furniture being thrown against the walls.

Ranger's home.

**RANGER**

We were finally released from debriefing and medical at 1000 yesterday. I had to hang around for a few more hours to sign my release papers, which they took their sweet fucking time getting together and having multiple Generals call and convince me to re-up. I was offered a rate increase, and a hefty signing bonus, but I've made enough money through Rangeman, the amount didn't matter to me.

I wasn't re-signing.

Though this was a fairly short two and a half month operation, it was grueling. It tested almost every aspect of my training and patience. I was getting too old for this shit anyways. I'd been under the thumb of Uncle Sam since I signed up at 19. I had calculated the amount of time I was away from civilian life in one way or another since I signed up. Roughly 10 years. 10 years away from life, family, friends. That time didn't include things I did stateside. That was just deployments and missions.

I was ready to get out.

I knew I wasn't resigning before I even left. I knew the minute I had to get out of Stephanie's bed and say goodbye again, I wasn't going to resign.

My contract technically ended a week after I was scheduled to leave. I had to complete this but then I was done. If I came back.

I had a lot of time on the plane back to the states to think about it, and Bobby convinced me to offer my services as a contractor with Rangeman. I could still keep my clearances but not have to be deployed.

After dealing with the bureaucratic red tape, we were finally cleared to leave. It was already 2330 so we rented a car and drove back to Trenton. We leave all cell phones and other personal devices at Rangeman when we leave. If you leave them in DC who knows where they'll be when you get back. Plus the drive back give us a little time to decompress and prepare to reacclimate into civilian society.

Bobby was dropping me off at Steph's about 0225. He didn't even ask, he just drove there first. We didn't see Morelli's truck or a cop car in the lot, so I went on up. He waits in the parking lot for me to flick the living room lights on and off twice as his signal it's ok to leave.

After walking into the bedroom to see asleep, naked, in bed with the owner of Valucci's Jewelers, I was not only confused, but I was pretty damn pissed those were the first two naked bodies I had seen in months.

As I got back in the rental, Bobby didn't say a word. If I was back in this car, I was in a bad mood.

We parked and took the elevator to five. Normally at this hour if I wasn't at Steph's, I would have just gone straight to seven, but I want to talk to whoever is on monitors if they know where Stephanie is first.

I wasn't expecting Tank to be awake and in his office at 0245.

"Why did I just go to Stephanie's apartment and find her Grandmother in bed with ?" I asked walking into Tank's open office door.

I had been gone about two and a half months. Steph and Morelli were on another off period when I left. If they weren't she wouldn't have slept with me the morning before leaving.

I know it's not a lot of time for things to change, and with Steph's aversion to living with him and commitment, I sure as hell wasn't expecting what I walked in on 20 minutes ago.

Tanks face paled when he heard me. He looked tired and worn. I know leaving him in control of Rangeman when I leave is hard on him, but this is unusual.

"Where's Stephanie? And why is her grandmother living in her apartment?"" I was getting worried.

"Shit." Tank whispered, taking his hands and running them down his face.

"Tank, where the hell is she?" My voice and my blood pressure were rising.

"You wanna sit down." It wasn't a question.

"I've been sitting for 3 hours, WHERE THE HELL IS STEPHANIE, TANK."

"We don't know." He said quietly.

"What do you mean we don't know? Was there an issue while I was gone?"

Was I finally gone when she needed me? Was I too late and one of her crazy FTAs took her? My mind was spinning with scenarios.

"She wasn't kidnapped. She wasn't hurt. She left on her on volition. But we can't locate her." Tank was explaining slowly and quietly.

"We are the best security and fugitive apprehension company in the Eastern United States. This is literally what we do! What the fuck do you mean you can't locate her!?"

While I was screaming at Tank, he opened his top drawer of his desk and pulled out a letter.

It was written in Steph's distinctive handwriting. Half block, half cursive. It detailed her and Morelli finally splitting up for good, knowing the relationship was bad and her need for a break from Trenton and the Burg. None of this was making any sense. Why would she just leave?

"She took her trackers and left them on her car, in her lot. She wrote letters to all her family and friends, most are just like this one, telling them she was leaving Trenton. She removed all the other trackers and left them on the kitchen counter of her apartment. She left the diamond solitaire earrings too, which she never knew about before. Were 95% certain Diesel is involved in her relocation."

I grabbed tanks computer monitor and threw it against the wall.

I was standing in Tanks office, fist balled, breathing heavy, when Lester ran in. He looked worse than Tank. He looked like he was on a weeklong bender and hadn't slept in weeks. I had seen him look like this before.

"You think she's with Kelly?" I asked him. The comparisons were too much to ignore. It didn't take a genius to put it together.

"Follow me." He walked out of Tanks office and down the hall to conference room A.

I could barely even see the far wall. It was covered with papers and intel. Diesel was for sure involved. We had our suspicions he helped Kell, and from what I could see, this was the same. There was a reason I told Stephanie she should stay away from him and I didn't like him. It wasn't my place to tell that story to her. Every time we tried to actually locate Diesel he was nowhere to be found. The guy didn't exist on paper. Anywhere.

Jessia being involved made my blood boil. She lied to Tank and everyone else for years about Kelly's disappearance. They can call it relocation all they want, but when you drop off the face of the fucking earth like this, it's more than just a move.

There were 12 letters on the wall. Lester, Hector, Rangeman as a whole, Helen and Frank, Mrs. Mazur, Lula, Connie, Mary Lou, Morelli, Valerie and her husband Albert, Valerie's girls and another to Jessia.

They all looked the same at first glance. Same story, same bullshit.

"Did she mail these before she left?" I noticed the postmarks on a few envelopes on the wall. All were dated about two weeks after I left.

"Dropped off at the post office on Friday, we know Diesel picked her up late Saturday night." Lester said.

Stephanie wasn't good with emotion, especially outward displays of it. I had a feeling she would have left me something else, where no one could see it. Either a letter left on seven or something else.

Lester went into action detailing all the Intel collected. My cousin knows how to manage my anger right now, and to do that I need every fact.

"Date of disappearance: Saturday April 28th 2018, roughly 2230. This 2005 blue Monte Carlo was captured by a surveillance camera we have on the Westinghouse building near her apartment building. You can see Stephanie's face in the passenger seat, she's looking down at something, but you can tell it's her. Hector was able to access the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation camera database and it was last seen heading west on i80 outside of State College, Pennsylvania."

"The registration came up bought by David Smith, 9 days prior, at a small buy here pay here dealership in Paterson, New Jersey. The ID used was fake, but the dealership said the guy paid cash, so he didn't look into it much. All he remembers is he was tall and fit and possibly matched Diesels description, but no cameras in the area to confirm. Had a 90 temp tag. Was found in Waterbury, Vermont the Tuesday after disappearance in the Ben and Jerry's factory parking lot. The only thing inside was an empty container and a receipt from the day prior for two scoops of "American Dream"." Lester sounded like he was calming down, if only slightly.

"He's fucking with us." If I ever find him again I'm going to lock him in a cell and torture him.

"Stephanie's cell phone was left at the apartment till roughly 2235 Saturday night when it went dead. It was rebooted roughly 0630 Monday morning one block south of her apartment building to send one email to your personal email account and went dead again. Has not been live since, most likely dumped. Both personal and company laptop left on the kitchen counter." Hector stated. I hadn't even seen him come in.

"So we know she left Saturday night, but someone booted her cell Monday morning to send me an email to my personal account. Tank I'm sorry, but all of this points to Jessia helping her."

"I know. We had her removed from Rangeman Monday when we discovered Steph missing, removed all her access, and Lester and Hector are monitoring her. She hasn't done anything even remotely suspicious."

"Have you spoken to her since she left?" I asked him. I could see this was hard for him. Jessia was his baby sister. He stuck up for her when we all thought she had something to do with Kelly leaving. Almost wrecked our core team.

"No. Unless she is willing to come forward with Stephanie's location, I have no reason to communicate with her." Tank said sternly.

"I want her brought in. Today. Send someone on patrol now. I'm not going to give her time to run, too." I knew finding Diesel wasn't going to happen. Been there done that. But I didn't need her finding out I'm home and calling him to hide her too.

"And Morelli. I want to talk to him, personally." I said.

"All evidence suggests she left on her own, and is not in danger. We are going to proceed with this just as we have Kelly over the years. I want alerts for any and all accounts, names, or variations of…."

"Carlo…" Lester started to interject. I knew what he was about to say. I wasn't putting this on the back burner like we had for Kelly the last 4 years.

"Hector, Lester, and I will all be on limited availability till the return of both Stephanie, and Kelly. Tank, are you able to distribute administrative duties to Bobby and some of the team leaders to relieve your burden?" I knew me and Bobby coming home was supposed to be a relief to Tank, I know the paperwork is tedious and makes even me want to bang my head against a wall.

"We have it covered, already." Hector said. I'm not sure what that was supposed to mean, but I decide to table that for another time.

"I want a branch meeting at 0900 today. Everyone get some rest till then. I appreciate all the work you've done the last two months." I said staring at the walls of the conference room.

I stood taking in all the information for another 45 minutes. I walked out of the conference room and took the elevator up to seven. I know there's nothing I can do right now the guys haven't already been over.

I was exhausted. I was tired at 1000 when we were released. Sleeping in medical doesn't happen and I haven't had a good night's sleep since I left.

I was exhausted at 0230 after driving back and just wanted to crawl into bed with Stephanie. I had planned on not getting out of that bed for two days.

As I walked into my apartment, it felt cold and empty. It was always an impersonal space, and I was fine with that. I wasn't here much by myself anyways.

Stephanie once asked me if I had a bat cave. I alluded her to thinking there was, and that someday I would show her. The truth was I never even thought about buying a house till I thought about Stephanie living in it with me. I had a few boxes with random crap in it my mother stored for me in her basement in Newark. That was my life.

I had planned on finally telling her I was ready to be all in.

In English this time too, so she would actually understand me.

I walked straight to the home office and booted up the personal computer.

I had sent her back to Morelli more times than I can count, knowing he was the better match for her. I wasn't capable of being in a relationship and I knew that. I was just as bad as her mother, pushing her into something she really didn't want.

I fell in love with Stephanie the first week I met her. She was beautiful, yes. But beautiful women throw themselves at me all the time. It was the fire in her eyes when she pretended to see through my bullshit in that diner. I knew she was slightly scared. She was in way over her head and desperate, but she wasn't about to let that stop her.

That same fire has gotten her into a lot of trouble over the years too.

But as the years went by and we spent more and more time together, it was brought to my attention, more than once, I was already in a relationship. But with none of the real benefits. I already loved her, even if I never actually told her. I worried about her every damn day. I would drop everything for her at a moment's notice and at the end of the day, Morelli got all the good stuff.

I wasn't good with emotions or talking about my feelings. I compartmentalized and dealt with my issues in private. I know it wasn't healthy, and had protocols in place to keep my own men from doing that.

Good thing about being the boss is I get to break my own rules.

Tank, Lester, and Bobby had known me long enough, before my own demons took root in my soul, to see through my bullshit. They had no problems calling me out on it too.  
Tank and Lester took me to the mats more than once, trying to beat some sense into me.

After Hawaii was one of the worst. I knew the "entertainment budget" was stupid, but I wasn't as business savvy then as I am now. Now she's a permanent employee, and as of last year a core team member. I wonder if she ever wondered why she never got a medical bill from any of her injuries. I wonder if she even noticed.

My personal laptop finally booted up and I went into my personal email account. I didn't even bother to go through the other emails. I could do that later. I searched for Stephanie's email and clicked on the message dated two months ago.

No subject line, nothing written in the body of the email, just an attachment.

I downloaded the video and watcher her face fill my screen. Damn I missed that face.

"Yo….I have a lot to say, and I don't have a clue how to say it. First things first, I have NOT been kidnapped again." She smiles into the camera. She would think that's funny.

She called it right though. That was my first thought when Tank told me she was gone and didn't know where she was.

How did she break her toe after I left?

I would have been happy to see her working here in the office for a while, but I'm sure she hated not being out in the field.

Says she changed some things. I wonder if she put that damn program Hector has been on me about for the last year into place. I told him I didn't want our information in that, but if it's made Tank and Lester available these last two months to look for Stephanie and not have to do the damn paperwork, maybe it's worth keeping.

"I've decided after some consideration to leave Trenton. I just don't feel like there's anything left for me here anymore." I paused it right there.

I took a deep breath. I read the letters. I knew this was her choice, but hearing her say it like that hits right in the gut.

I press play. I know I need to hear the rest of what she has to say. She details her and Morelli calling it quits for good, which I already knew from the information downstairs. And she's right again. If she had told anyone she was leaving they would have done everything in their power to stop her. And hound her even after leaving to come home.

She's starting to fidget with her hands and looks nervous. She takes a deep breath and I find myself doing the same.

"Ricardo Carlos Manoso. I love you. I have for a long time. As much as I wish that was enough, I know it's not. I know if I continued to stay in Trenton it would be the same pattern. You and me with the stole kisses in the alley, the flirting, and the nights spent together before you leave in the morning for God knows where, and for how long."

FUCK. I pause the video again and break the space bar on the computer.

"God Dammit, I knew I should have said something before I left!" The anger in myself was rising and I didn't really give a damn about controlling it.

She left because of me. She left because she loved me and thought I would never return what she needed.

I put my fist through the wall and it went straight through to the bedroom.

I was pacing the office trying to reign myself in. I wanted to beat the shit out of myself. She didn't leave because of someone going after her. She didn't leave because of the Burg, or Morelli, or her Mother. I'm sure all those things played a small part in her decision, but the deciding factor was me.

Everyone around me was right. They told me to claim her and I didn't. I knew I was playing with fire when I left and not telling her, but I also knew there was a strong possibility I wasn't coming home after this. I wasn't going to leave her with that burden.

I risked her making Morelli a permanent fixture or even the possibility of some other guy. I risk a lot of things in my line of work, but the risk I took leaving this last time without telling her was too big, and now I'm paying for it.

I tried to calm myself down enough to finish the video. I knew I needed to hear everything she had to say.

My chair was knocked over on the ground and broken so I just got on my knees and used the mouse to resume playing.

"You are the greatest man I have ever known, and when you promised to ruin me for all other men, you really kept your word on that one." She was crying and laughing at the same time.

When she did that it was like rain on a sunny day. It was just wrong.

"I know you'll look for me. And I know how you get. I don't want you to spend all your time and resources chasing me down. I'm leaving because I know it's what's best for everyone. I want you to continue to live your life and I want you to try and be happy. I want you to continue to make the world a better place."

If she ever thought I would stop looking for her, she's crazier than I thought.

"I'll see you again one day. I love you. Don't get shot."

See you again one day? Did she plan on coming back to Trenton? If she did, when?

She's only been gone two months, so I can't imagine her coming back so soon, especially if she hasn't reached out in some way already.

I slunk to the floor of the office and took the laptop with me.

I replayed that 60 second video another 20 times. I put another three holes in the walls and ruined my desk. Stephanie loved that desk.

It was getting close to 0600 and I knew I needed to get my head straight and cleaned up for the branch meeting regarding Stephanie. I knew I needed to sleep at some point, but the thought of going to bed without her now wasn't happening.

I put on shorts and a cutoff t-shirt and decided to try and work out some of the frustration on someone else in the gym.

As I got down to the gym on the third floor Lester was coming out of the stairwell.

He knew how this felt. Kelly leaving him tore him to pieces for years. We tried to get him over it, and I probably was a little heartless about her leaving. I didn't understand what he was going though. I had never loved a woman before like Lester loved Kelly and I didn't understand how it would feel when they left.

I do now.

"She left because of me." I told him as we walked into the gym

He seemed to understand and know what I meant. He walked into the center of the mat and started shadow boxing, waiting on me to enter the ring.

I was starting to give out. My anger gone, and nothing but regret, disappointment in myself, and the exhaustion taking over.

"You know, at least Kelly left cause a cartel was after her. Stephanie left because you couldn't pull your head outta your ass long enough to tell her you loved her. Now look at you."

Lester knows how to push my buttons better than anyone, even my big sisters who used to put me in dresses and bows in my hair.

As I entered the ring, Les took a cheap shot right at my solar plexus.

"What are you going to do, Carlos? Find her and drop her off at Morellis house?" Lester took a kick at my head. I dodged it easily enough.

We went full force for the next 25 minutes. I hadn't gone like that since Tank and the entertainment budget.

I could see out of the corner of my eye men start to gather in the doorway. They were all quiet as we beat the crap out of each other.

For some of them, this was the first time seeing their boss in over two months, and I'm sure I didn't look like much of a leader.

Tank walked in with Bobby behind him.

"You two done yet?" He asked calmly.

I took my leg and took Lester's legs from out beneath him. There was blood in my mouth and I could see the red staining my vision.

Lester wasn't in much better shape. I had probably broken his nose and maybe a few ribs. He wasn't slowing down either.

I saw Bobby and Tank start to move towards the ring. Tank behind me and Bobby moving behind Lester.

The next thing I knew there was a sharp sensation in my ass and my world went dark… …..


	16. Chapter 16

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

…

**Ranger**

"What the fuck, Bob?" My head was spinning and my body aced.

The last thing I remember was sparing with Lester in the gym. I already knew he shot me in the ass with a sedative.

"Last time we had to pull you guys apart I got my collarbone broken. I wasn't going through that again."

"How long have I been out?" I wasn't happy about this.

"Short term sedative. About an hour. Didn't even move you and tweedle dumb over there from the gym. I patched some of the cuts on you both, and you still have time to wash the blood off you before the branch meeting in about an hour."

I sat up and looked at Tank. He didn't look sorry in the slightest.

"Don't do that again." I told him.

"Morelli will be here at 1030 and Jessia will be here in 45." Tank said crossing his arms over his massive chest.

"She put up a fight?" I asked getting up off the floor to look at Lester. He was still out cold. I nudged him with my foot in the rib and he woke up screaming.

"God Dammit!" Yeah, bruised, if not broken.

"Come on, let's get you to X-Ray before you clean up." Bobby helped Lester up.

"These better not be broken, asshole." Lester told me walking out the door.

"Jessia wasn't happy about being brought in against her will. Tried to tell us she would come down to talk to you this weekend when she had time. Tried to knee Hal in the balls, but thankfully he's spent enough time on Bomber duty he's learned to watch out for that one." Tank wasn't finding this amusing like I was. He was pissed too about having to haul his little sister in.

"Keep Lester out of the room. I want you there when I talk to her, too."

"Oh, as pissed at her as I am, she's still not going to be left alone with any of you." Don't blame him.

I went back to seven to shower and clean up before the branch meeting. As I got in the shower I noticed my shower gel and shampoo missing.

She took my stuff but left her own.

After drying off and going to the closet I notice she also took my silk boxers. I wonder what else she took before she left.

I wonder if she noticed the safe was left open. Probably not. If she had, she would have snooped for sure and found what was in there.

Our wedding rings from Hawaii, her core team papers, my life insurance policy in her and Julie's names. Had she seen all of that she would have known my feelings for her, even if I was unable to physically tell her.

I walked out of the closet dressed in fresh Rangeman uniform and didn't even look at the bed. Doubted I would actually sleep there anymore.

I took the stairs down to five and was on the control room floor by 0845.

"Lester has already tried to question Jess, and she's only been in that cell less than 10 minutes." Bobby informed me.

"She didn't give up anything before and we can't use normal interrogation tactics on her so I doubt shell give up anything now anyways." I told him.

"I am so happy you are home safe! Your flan will be with your dinner tonight. You must rebuild your strength to find Miss Stephanie." Ella said hugging me.

No matter how big of a badass I am, Ella still treats me like a grandson.

"I will order another bottle of shower gel too, mijo. I don't think you want your men talking about how you smell like strawberries." She whispered in my ear.

"Let them. I like it." I whispered back.

She kissed me on the cheek as Tank walked in. He looked torn. I can't imagine having one of my sisters in this situation. I knew this was hard for him.

"Anything?" I asked him.

"She threatened to tell everyone in the office my real name. That's the best she's got. I told her you would be down to speak with her shortly, she went as white as a black woman can get." He laughed.

"Let her sit for a while. Maybe she'll come to her sense about telling us where Stephanie is."

At promptly 0900 I gathered all men on duty not on patrol or calls around the main floor. Everyone was at rest and quiet right at 0900. Good to know things haven't slacked while I've been gone.

"I would first like to thank everyone for their continued efforts in finding Stephanie over these last few months. She has become a vital part of our operations not only here in Trenton, but to Rangeman as a whole. I will no longer be listed as an active duty member of our Army and will instead work as an on call contractor providing the services of Rangeman. Lester, Hector, and myself will be resuming the search and will be here as needed. "

For some reason this whole speech seemed impersonal to me. I'd always been a leader to these men and kept my personal life private, especially where Steph was involved, but for some reason now I didn't want to continue letting these men think she was anything except everything to me. I took a deep breath and mentally said Fuck it

"I don't give a damn that she told us to not look for her. We will not stop until both Stephanie and Kelly are brought home. And I don't care if I have to bring her back kicking and screaming, she will be coming home."

At that the room erupted in hell yeas, whistling, and cheers. Make me smile. Which I don't do in front of the men.

We went over a few other details and announcements and the meeting was over in less than 10 minutes.

I went to my office to catch up on Rangeman business till Morelli gets here.

I had to call Hector up after 15 minutes to go over the new workday program with me.

"Hector, I'm sorry. I know I was being controlling and probably a little paranoid about this. But you were right. This streamlines everything and will save hundreds of admin hours a year." I was amazed at Hector and Stephanie's work. Especially when he told me they did it and trained everyone on it in less than 2 weeks. He said they had minimal problems since.

There was a knock on my door and Morelli stepped in.

"Morelli. Hear you upgraded." I said as a greeting.

"Yeah, apparently someone pretty high up put in a good word for me. Thank you." He said reaching to shake my hand.

I made a phone call or two before leaving, putting in a good word for him. If Stephanie had any chance of ending up with Morelli, I wanted to make sure he was able to provide for her, and a cop's salary wasn't shit. Federal wasn't much better, but there was more room for growth.

And now that Stephanie and Morelli were over for good, I found I didn't dislike the guy nearly as much.

"I've kept as much going on Steph as I can, I convinced Juniak to keep the ABP out, too."

He sat down hard in the chair in front of my desk and ran his fingers through his hair and scratching the scruffy beard he was now sporting.

"I've had a month and a half to figure out what to say to you. Blame you for this shit. Truth is, this was as much my fault as it was yours. I kept pushing her for so long…." He trailed off for a second before continuing.

"I need to know if you're finally ready to step up, though." He said looking at me dead in the eyes.

I knew what he was asking.

"I am." Looking right at him. I didn't want any miscommunications here.

"Alright, then." Joe said nodding.

"Is there anything I'm missing?" I asked him.

"Your guys have higher clearance than I do. And better programs. Kind of pathetic for our government. The grapevine has been all about Stephanie, but from what I can tell no real facts, just more gossip." He laughed.

"Not just the facts, Morelli. Is there something I was missing before I left? She seemed anxious, but that wasn't totally unusual for her. Always worrying about something or someone."

"I noticed, too. But I couldn't put my finger on it, and then we talked and she seemed better. I hadn't always been the most involved boyfriend." He admitted.

He had nooooooooo idea.

"I gotta get back to the station. As soon as something comes in or I hear anything I'll let you know. Welcome home soldier." He said shaking my hand again before walking out the door.

It was almost 11 at this point. I had let Jessia sit in a cell for a few hours, maybe she's more willing to talk now.

"You ready?" I asked popping my head into Tank's office.

"You know, I'm a big, grown ass black man. And I'm scared of what my momma is gonna do to me after she finds out about this." I fully intended on avoiding Tank's mother after this. I'll miss her gumbo, but Stephanie is far more important.

We took the stairs to the basement. The only things housed here were the cells and Hector's apartment and offices. He liked being the basement troll.

All cells were monitored with multiple cameras. As I looked at the monitor of cell one where Jessia was being held, I could see her sitting at the table fidgeting.

Tank looked tired of dealing with this shit. He nodded his head at me and opened the door.

"Hello Jessia." I said in my menacing tone of voice. Jessia was a medic in the Army and worked a bit with her overseas. We had spent most of our time together back in the day when on leave. Her mother always welcomed us with open arms. The Cambray's lived in Elizabeth, Louisiana and we had spent a bit of time over the years at Fork Polk, less than an hour from Tank's childhood home. Their father had been stationed at Folk Polk and raised two Army brats. I had no doubt if Tank ever had children, they would follow in the same footsteps.

"Welcome home, Major." Jessia saluted me. Scared shitless but hasn't forgot her place.

"Sit." I told her through clenched teeth.

Tank stood off to the side, just watching. Jessia sat down carefully in the chair across the table. She swallowed hard.

"When Kelly left, we knew about the cartel coming after her. I understood why she left, even if Lester didn't approve. I let you play your little games and keep your secrets because I knew she would be safer somewhere else. That's not the case here." My eyes boring into her.

"I can't tell you where she is." Her hands shaking.

"And why the hell not?" Tank asked from behind me.

"She's with Kelly." She finally confessed.

We had already had suspicions about that, but it was a step in the right direction if she was giving up information.

"And that would be where?" I asked.

"If I tell you, then that would put them at risk. Not just Kelly but Stephanie too."

"We have plenty of resources to protect them both now, that wasn't the situation when Kelly left." I told her.

She sat quiet and stared at the table. After a few moments she looked up at Tank and said,

"I could sit here and lie, but I'm going to be 100% honest with you. We all know I've been lying about Kelly for years. I know no one in the building will ever forgive me for that. Especially Lester. But I did so with honor. I did so to protect a fellow soldier and I will not apologize for that." She said. Tears were welling up in her eyes but not quite falling.

"Stephanie's past, present, and future were in jeopardy. Not in the same ways as Kelly, but they were. I made the decision to help her, too. Just like I did Kelly." Her posture was getting straighter and her eyes were drying up.

She thought what she did was noble. Like she was saving them from something. Kelly I knew what, but Stephanie from the information collected was not in any imminent danger when she left.

"Care to elaborate." She knew I meant Stephanie.

"No, sir." Hmm. Normally I would just take their head and bang it into the table, but I can't do that here. I can't even hold her here. Not only is it illegal as all hell, it just wasn't right in the case.

"Diesel." Tank said from behind us

"You know about D. Tracker. Seal. Mysterious and weird." She said looking between the two of us.

"Why him?" I asked. I already knew but I wanted her to tell me.

"He's an expert at relocations. Creating identities so flawless not even the government can see the difference. Kelly and Steph don't exist anymore. I don't know their full names. I never asked, I never wanted to. I don't even know what name Stephanie was given. The less I knew the better." She told us.

"You've kept in contact with Kelly over the years. Where is she?" I asked again. She took a deep breath. I wasn't sure I was right on that, but I was going to go with it.

"We used to meet in Pittsburg every 6 months or so. Always a different car, never registered to her name." She was giving us information but I could tell she was holding back.

"Have you seen Stephanie since?"

"No, Sir. I have had no contact with either of them since she left."

"One. More. Time. Where are they?" I was getting annoyed with this conversation.

"Sir, if I could tell you, I would." Stephanie always liked to play that game with me when she was doing something she shouldn't be. Not quite lying to my face, but leaving out facts.

"Jessia I am giving you one last chance to come clean here." Tank told her.

"I am coming clean. I don't want to lose my brother over this, but I also made promises to them to keep them safe. I do not know Stephanie's name. I don't even know Kelly's full name."

I was having a really hard time with this. I wanted to grab her and force the information out of her but at the same time if I was being objective, I understood where she was coming from. I would do anything and lie to everyone I knew to keep my brothers safe.

"If I find out you knew more than what you are telling us, I will never forget it." Tank told his sister.

"Yes, Sir." She told him.

"Where can I find Diesel?" I wanted a few more things before she leaves.

"I used to be able to call him on this number," she pulled a card out of her pocket and slid it across the table to me "but it's disconnected now. Maybe Hector can find something on it."

"Cal will drive you home. Do not come back here unless asked to." Tank told her.

"You know it's technically abduction, sending a stegosaurus up to get me at seven in the morning."

"I like to think of it more like borrowing you." I told her.

"Don't try to knee Cal in the balls either or you will be sent somewhere very unpleasant." I warned her.

She knew I was serious but I wasn't sure Tank would actually let me do it.

"I'm sorry, Pierre." She said softly to him before walking out of the room through the door Cal had just opened for her.

I walked to the door and watcher them enter the stairwell to go to the garage. As the door closed I looked at Tank.

"I think she's telling the truth about most of it, but I still think she knows where they're at." Tank said, still looking at the stairwell.

"I'm going to see Hector. You gonna be alright handing things until further notice?" I asked

"As I'm sure you're aware, Stephanie left me a parting gift of sorts. And I've delegated a few other responsibilities to lighten me and Lester. Were good man. Don't worry about us, just focus on finding Steph." He slapped his massive hand on my shoulder and headed up the stairs.

I walked down the hall to Hector's office and knocked lightly on the door.

"Enter" He yelled through the door, in English.

I knew he spoke English, but he preferred Spanish. He said it kept people from asking him stupid questions and annoying him, leaving him to do his work, so I let it slide.

"So the linguistical cat is out of the bag?" I asked him.

"It's just easier now, but they still leave me alone, so that's nice." He said.

Looking around, Hectors office had changed a bit.

There was new computers up against the far wall with searches running on three different monitors.

"I've been running searches and facial recognition for the last 2 months straight. Nothing has popped up. It would have made sense for her to try and change her appearance, but I don't see her doing anything drastic like plastic surgery."

He was pulling up search results and data and putting up on the large monitor in the office.

"I didn't know much about Kelly, but after pulling files and speaking with Tank and Lester, I created a search file for her too." He started pulling Kelly's information up, she had left more of a digital print.

Hector was monitoring her parents and brother's email accounts. Illegally I'm sure. They would get emails once every few weeks from KBS . All were obviously from Kelly. She would tell them vague details. Everything was fine. She was good. Ask her Dad questions about home repairs, swap recipes with her mother. Thinks a normal family would do. Her family would share pictures, and stories about what was happening, but Kelly was very careful about the information she shared.

"The emails were always encrypted. I was able to break that, though. They are routed through a high end IP scrambler. So the emails come from a different IP all over the world. A new IP each time."

"Has Lester seen any of this?" I asked.

"Yes, but he said nothing stands out. I've monitored Jessia's communications too. She hasn't had contact with any of them. Jessia would get phone calls that would last a few minutes to a few hours via secured VOIP for the last few years, and that number went up right before Estephania's leaving, but no recordings I could find. I was able to see when she went to Pittsburg once, but she left her personal cell at home, and left her car at a gas station outside of Pittsburg. They are good at this, jeffe, and there's only so much I can trace digitally." Hector sounded defeated.

"That coincides with what Jessia just told us. She would meet in Pittsburg every 6 months or so, but Kelly would have a different car never registered in her name." I shared with Hector.

I sat staring at the additional intel on the screen, and most of it wasn't much, so I could see why it wasn't on the wall upstairs. There was something we were missing, I just couldn't place my finger on it.

"I hate to say this, but this is a dead end. Kelly has been doing this for six years, and she was damn smart to begin with. We need to approach this from a different angle." I told Hector.

"Do you think they are within driving distance of Pittsburg? That could help narrow down the search." Hector said and started typing.

"Jessia said they would meet there, and Kelly always had a different car with registration not in her name. It's possible, but can't confirm. Narrow it down to Pennsylvania and the surrounding states. Anything east of Chicago is an eight hour or less drive. And run Vermont though there, too. Something about Diesel's little clue is nagging at me."

"I already ran Vermont. Nothing." Hector said while I ran rubbed the sides of the bridge of my nose.

I hadn't slept in over four days. I knew I needed to sleep to get my head straight and be able to think properly, but taking a nap with Stephanie missing felt like cheating.

"Ok, keep going with everything you have. Run a detailed search in states 8 hours of Pit. Keep me posted." I told Hector walking out.

I went up to Bobby's office. The last two months were absolute hell, and I knew he would probably be sleeping today. It's what I should be doing too.

In Bobby's office the temporary medic was still here. Probably would be for a few days till Bobby was up to speed on everything.

"Mr. Manoso, Sir. Welcome home." He was younger and recently out of the service, honorable discharge after losing his left leg roadside IED, but came highly recommend from an old friend of Bob's. We had actually contacted him before leaving instead of Jess, but he was unavailable at the time, it was stroke of luck he was able to cover when she left only a few weeks later.

"Aaron, nice to meet you." I said putting my hand forward to shake.

"Something I can help you with, Sir? Bobby said he would be in tomorrow to start the change-over." I really didn't want to ask this kid for help, but I didn't want to wake up Bobby either.

"Aaron, I'll be honest with you and I expect this to stay between us. I haven't slept in four days and even before then…."

I wasn't even finished with my statement and he was already at the locked med cabinet pulling out a small packet of something.

"The package will tell you take one pill one hour before bed, but that will knock you out and make you groggy as hell when you finally come to. Start off with half, and if after an hour you still can't sleep, take the other."

"Thank you." I was grateful he didn't bother asking me other questions.

I walked out of the medical suite and took the elevator up to seven.

As I walked into the apartment there was a note lunch was in the fridge. It was only 1500 but I sent a text to Tank I was offline for the day. I needed sleep to think properly.

I couldn't bring myself to sleep in the bed so I took my boots off and laid down on the couch. Figured fuck it and took the whole pill.

I fell asleep in less than 20 minutes into Stephanie's copy of Ghostbusters.


	17. Chapter 17

**STEPH**

"Samma. You should get the dinosaur bedroom stuff. Dinos are waaaayyy cooler than Winnie." Alex told me.

Cat and Alex were helping me shop for baby Carlos. Or Carlita. I still didn't know.

We had just gone to the second anatomy ultrasound hoping the little bugger would cooperate this time and let us see if it is a he or she.

"Alex, mijo, we don't know if it's a he or she so we need to find something that's not really boyish or too girly. Winnie the Poo is good for either." Cat told her son.

"I told you. It's a BOY!" He said for the hundredth time.

"Remember last month when you chased the kitty in the back yard?" Cat asked, crossing her arms and looking down at him.

"Stupid skunk." Alex murmured under his breath.

"See, sometimes we're wrong, even if we are soooo sure were right."

It took a week of baths to get the smell out of him.

He was cute as hell wagering with his momma about whether it was a boy or girl, though. He had insisted he go to the first anatomy ultrasound when he found out they would tell us the baby's sex that day.

But when little baby Manoso decided they wanted to be as mysterious as their father, they crossed their legs and wouldn't budge. I tried walking around, laying on my side, they doctor even started jiggling my belly to get the baby to move.

Nothing. We decided to try again in 2 weeks.

So little Alex got up and went to the doctors with us again this morning, only to be disappointed by my stubborn child, once again.

"Fine, but no Winnie." He said sternly walking away, looking at more bedding sets.

"I don't really like Winnie the Poo, either." I said sheepishly at Cat. She loved it. That was her theme for Alex, too.

"Oh, you two wouldn't know good stuff if it hit you in the ass." She laughed.

I stuck my tongue out at her as my mature response.

I sat down in one of the showrooms rocking chairs as Alex was carefully inspecting each theme on the wall for its level of "girlyness". Cat came over and sat in the one next to me.

"Frustrated?" She asked

"A little. I mean I guess it's not that big of a deal. But it would have been nice to know. The doctor did said he was able to see everything else and he looked great. So as long as he's healthy, that's all that matters." I smiled. I was about 27 weeks and starting to look more pregnant, not just like I ate too many donuts.

"You still think it's a boy too."

"Yeah. You're gonna loose the bets." I laughed.

"I don't care what it's got between its legs. It's a baby and I fully plan on spoiling it." She smiled.

"You ever think about having another? Maybe settling down with someone else?" I asked.

I was pretty sure I knew the answer. If she had asked me that question it would be a big hell no, but everyone is different, and she's been away from Lester a lot longer.

"I went on a few dates when Alex was about 3. I thought I was ready, but when one of the dates, which I have to say went really well, leaned into kiss me goodnight, I just couldn't do it. I saw Lester and went home and poured myself a few tumblers of scotch. It's just been us ever since. Well, till you!" She smiled.

"Cat, you and Alex have been amazing these last four month. I honestly don't think I would have made it without you."

"That's what family is for."

Cat and Alex have really become family these last four months. Cat was the sister I wished Valerie could be. She was caring, didn't give a crap about what people thought of her, and was organized, but in a fun way.

The first week was crazy. She helped me pick out a new car and even negotiated two grand off the price. Took me to my first OBGNY appointment so I wouldn't get lost.

She had taken the week off work, and her and Alex showed me a side to Cleveland I hadn't expected.

They took me to the West Side Market, the Zoo, ate pierogis in Parma, and she took me to dinner in my now favorite part of town, Little Italy. It reminds me a little bit of home and Corbo's has some of the best cannoli I've ever had. I had no idea there were so many Italian's in Cleveland.

That second week, I started working for Doug, the father of Alex's friend Justin, who owns an investigative firm in North Royalton. He owns a company specializing in conducting background searches for corporations.

Rangeman had offered similar services, and I did more than my fair share of searches, so when I mentioned I was familiar with most of the programs he used, and what he was looking for, he gave me raise instantly. I had to lie about what company I worked for and pray he didn't ask for references, but thank God for Diesel and his skills with identities cause I passed the security check.

Doug was a great boss, let me do client meetings so I could escape the office when I got stir crazy. He was downsizing his company, said with the internet not as many corporations needed his services, so he was going to sell the building he was in and possibly lease a smaller space somewhere else, and then I could work from home after the baby came.

I had been keeping my head down and staying under the radar. Other than my ever growing baby bump, things were fairly boring for me. And it was strange but also kinda nice. I thought I would go stir crazy but Alex keeps me preoccupied.

I was getting used to everything and was feeling more comfortable as Samantha. I was settled into the house and thankfully, other than a few episodes when Alex got skunked, the morning sickness passed after a week or two here.

I think the stress made it worse at home.

Home. Trenton didn't even feel like home anymore.

I had a great little house and slowly making it my own, little by little.

It was amazing how much I could save not buying cars every other month and eating fast food every day, so I had no stress about how I was going to pay my rent or having to go mooch meals off my parents a few times a week.

I was even getting used to the idea I would be someone's Mom soon. Cat made me feel like I was capable of doing this and not losing myself in the process.

I had always had this notion that if you had kids, you had to completely change who you were as a person, and I'm realizing I could still be me, just with a tiny human.

I thought about my Mom and her pushing me and Val to be the perfect housewife and Mother, always trying to teach us to cook and clean and act like a proper Burg Lady.

I know now in her heart she was doing what she thought was right, what she was taught. She never wanted to crush my spirit, but the Burg would pressure her, just like they did me, to be that perfect Burg mother.

I was worried this baby would be a girl. I had never been the girly type and didn't play with Barbie. I was the play in the dirt and put holes in my jeans jumping off the roof. Poor kid would probably end up wanting to watch my little pony while I French braid her hair, which is another thing I don't know how to do.

I didn't know much about Ranger as a kid, other than he got in trouble as a teenager so I was in for a surprise if he inherits more of Ranger's personality traits.

I missed Ranger every day and wished I could just reach out to see if he was home. I knew reaching out with Hector searching for me was a bad idea though, regardless of what Cat and Diesel said.

Hector was better at what he did than most people had any idea of.

"You're gonna be fine Sam. Even without him." Cat said looking at me.

"I hope so." I smiled

"I'm not going to lie to you. It's harder when the baby comes. You see them and everything you missed out on and everything you will never get. Everything they will never get. It took me a long time to get to where we are now, but you'll get there too, eventually. Just have a little faith."

At that moment Alex came running up with a grey woodland animal themed crib mobile with baby deer and foxes on it.

"Animals can be boys or girls." He said very smugly.

"Works for me." I said. To be honest I didn't really care. A baby was going to throw up or poop on everything anyways.

Alex looked more than pleased I agreed with his selection and started roaming around trying to find things that matched.

We picked out the crib, the mattress, swing, the sheets, blankets, bottles, breast pump, pacifiers, the car seat/stroller set, bibs, burp cloths, monitor, a few packs of diapers, and a handful of outfits.

We had driven all the way to the East side to go to this specialty baby store and decided to make shopping day out of it and get everything at once.

I had just wanted to order everything off Amazon, but was told "That's no fun!"

And that was Cat, not even Alex.

For someone who used to love shopping, the bigger I get, the harder it is to walk around the mall, the more I love Amazon.

The shear amount of stuff damn near filled the whole truck bed and cost a fortune!

"Do I really need all of this stuff?" I asked Cat

"Yes. Some you might not need right away, but it's nice to have it when the time comes and not have to go out and buy it." Cat said as we got out of the truck

"Kinda sucks not having a baby shower. I remember my sister got all this stuff and more and didn't have to pay for it all." I said looking at Cat.

"Hard to have a baby shower with one adult and a 5 year old." She laughed folding down the trucks tailgate exposing the days haul.

"What's a baby shower? Are you gonna give you and the baby a bath?" Alex asked confused.

"No mijo, it's a party where people get together to celebrate a woman having a new baby and they give her presents and play games about pregnancy and babies." Cat tried to explain to him.

"Do they get cake?" He asked. To Alex party = cake

"Yeah. No party, no cake, though." I told him disappointed.

"I'll tell ya what. I'll call Giant Eagle and place an order for a Cassata cake. It's Cleveland tradition to have that for a baby shower. We can have our own little baby shower tonight after dinner when we put everything away." Cat said to us.

Alex was excited about having a party, I was excited about having Cassata cake.

As we goofed around my house and put together baby paraphernalia I felt very mature.

I was working a good job, I was almost prepared for a baby, and my car hadn't been blown up in over six months.

The guilt I felt after leaving, was slowly fading. I knew it was the right thing to do for us, and my stress levels decreasing exponentially were proof of that.

I fed Rex a small bite of strawberry with whipped cream and he scarfed it down and hurried back into his tunnels.

I had caught Alex feeding him everything in sight two months ago, wondering why he had gotten so fat. Alex said Rex like him better when he fed him more, so he just kept feeding him.

"Well guys, other than the stuff that needs washed, I think that's about it." Cat said looking around the house.

"It looks like the baby store threw up in here." Alex said.

There was a massive pile of cardboard boxes and 3 garbage bags full of Styrofoam, paper, and other random crap.

"I would say I'm prepared." I know it was all a little early, but Cat convinced me better sooner and be prepared than later and be rushing around.

"Ok Alex, it's pretty late. Time for bath and bed! Let's move it little dino!" Cat hollered at Alex.

"Thanks guys for all your help, today." I gave Alex a kiss on the cheek and ruffled his faux-hawk.

I locked up and went into the baby bedroom. Cat had set up all the big stuff since I was as handy with tools as I was in the kitchen.

Before leaving Trenton I had taken all my photos off my phone and laptop and put it on a thumb drive. Before showing Cat or Alex, I had gone through and blacked out the Rangeman logo on all the pictures.

That took forever, but was necessary.

I was able to print out a few for Alex. He knew who his father was, but didn't have many pictures of him, and definitely none from recent years. He was getting older and smarter and we didn't want him Googling Rangeman Trenton, finding a phone number, calling them up and asking for Lester.

Seeing Lester answer the phone and hearing Alex say, "Hi, you're my daddy!" would be priceless, though.

I had printed out a few for my own house. Pictures of my parents, Valerie and the girls, a couple of the Rangeman guys too.

Getting pictures of Ranger that weren't screenshots of security camera videos was difficult in itself. He didn't like his photo taken.

I had managed to snag a few over the years, though.

I took a selfie of us when he was preoccupied with planning a distraction and I was feeling playful. He looked right at the camera, blank faced, and looked back to Tank. Told me "delete that" which of course I didn't listen.

A few months later, right after another distraction went a little sideways and the bar erupted into a fight, Ranger was having an out of character sweet moment holding me around the waist making sure I was alright. We were plastered together, front to front, and looking right at each other. I'm guessing Hector snapped a candid picture of the two of us. It was in my inbox two days later, the sender email totally blank.

Looking at this particular picture always made me second guess Ranger's motives. He looked at me like he loved me. Not just in his own way or some other dumb excuse, but actually loved me.

I remember that night like it was yesterday. He was holding me with one arm around the waist and one hand brushing my hair off my face. It had taken me forever to get it to cooperate and the August heat and humidity and fight destroyed all my hard work. The way he looked at me, I thought maybe tonight will be different. He told Tank he was going offline and helped me slide into the low seat of the turbo.

As we drove through the streets, back towards my apartment his hand rested gently on my thigh. It wasn't roaming like he usually does, just content having contact. He walked me up to my door, cleared the apartment while I said hello to Rex, before stalking over with black eyes and lifted me up onto the kitchen counter.

The barely long enough leather mini skirt was more than half way up my ass and Ranger was between my legs, his forehead resting on mine. It was sexy, but different. He started to kiss me and it was slow and sweet.

The damn banging on my door broke us up and Morelli's voice came from the other side. Ranger stepped to the side, pulled me off the counter, and pulled my skirt back down. Looked at me and I could almost see sadness in his eyes as he wiped the lipstick smudge from my bottom lip, half smiled at me and opened the door.

Morelli was pissed about hearing me involved in a bar fight off Stark and went on his usual rant. Ranger just walked past him and down the stairs. My heart blamed Morelli for screwing up a hell of a lot more than just my night for a long time, but my head always told me he didn't. It would have been the same shit on a different morning the next day. Ranger would tell me to get back with Morelli or sneak out before I woke up.

I still loved that picture though.

It was the end of August and the heat wasn't letting up any. Between the heat and him giving me massive heartburn I could never get comfortable anymore, I just wanted to crank the AC and sleep in the recliner in the living room.

I slept there most nights now, laying down was too uncomfortable. I would sit and watch Netflix just holding my hand on my belly waiting for him to move. He always moved more at night, or maybe I just noticed it more because I wasn't doing something else.

You watch all those sappy movies and shows about pregnancy and think one day your husband will be there to rub your feet, and bring you ice cream at two am, and hold your belly waiting to feel a kick and how magical it will all be.

Nothing about this pregnancy was magical. It was a complete mess, which I thought, fits my life story pretty well.

I thought about how it would have been if I stayed in Trenton though. And the more I thought about it, the happier I was I left. Yes I miss my mom, but I don't miss the Burg whispering behind my back about how I got knocked up by a thug. And then having to defend Ranger for not being a thug, even though he wasn't going to want anything to do with me or the baby anyways.

Thinking about Trenton was making my heartburn worse, so I got up, ate more chewy tums, transferred the laundry to the dryer, and returned to my spot in the recliner.

When I woke up the next morning, it was like any other day here. Alex came over after breakfast to feed Rex, Cat left for work at the gun range, go figure, and I got him on the bus before leaving for work.

As I walked into the office, Doug was packing up the numerous wall decorations.

"Find a buyer already?" I asked.

"The realtor is showing the office space starting next week, so well need the walls cleared. If she finds a buyer, you may get to work from home sooner rather than later."

"But I like coming into work. I would go crazy sitting at home by myself all day. And I would eat too many snacks." I had too much time to think at home alone, and thinking was bad for me right now. Too much time to think and I was afraid I was going to start calling Ranger and hanging up.

"You'll be busy soon enough." He laughed.

"O hey, you're from Jersey, have you ever heard of. Ah crap. What was the name? Hold on." He said looking at his phone.

Doug thought Jersey was the size of a North Eastern Ohio apparently and thought I knew everything about the state. He would ask me all kinds of questions about the Jersey Shore. I tried to explain to him the whole eastern side of Jersey was a shore. He kept talking about Seaside Heights and that dumb TV show. I told him I had been there like twice in college and swore to never go back. Point Pleasant was only 20 minutes away but was less infested with overly fake tanned bimbos and drunken idiots.

"There was this big story on the news last night, a company from Miami caught this woman on the FBI's most wanted list in Miami. It was crazy. They have branches in New Jersey and all over the place, too." Doug was scrolling through his phone looking for the story.

Please don't say Rangeman. Please don't say Rangeman. Please don't say…

"Rangeman, that's the name." Doug said turning the phone for me to look at.

Rodriguez was in the photo with about 5 other men in Rangeman standard uniform. He was the only one I knew, and even then I hadn't seen him in years. The picture had a bright sunny blue sky in the background and looked like a Miami.

I had to think quickly, I just sat there staring at the picture. I took the phone and pretended to read the story while trying to think of something to say that sounded even slightly believable.

"Um. The name doesn't ring a bell. But I'm from further north, this says they have offices in Trenton, Boston, Atlanta, and Miami." I said trying to play it off while passing back the phone.

"I wonder if they would ever consider branching out to Cleveland." Doug pondered.

God I hope not. I really liked it here and I loved my little house. I don't want to have to move again.

"I guess ya never know." I started going through files looking like I was busy, I really didn't want to continue this conversation anymore.

It was a fluke, Doug thought I knew everything in Jersey. He asked me about an Italian restaurant he saw on some TV show that was in New Brunswick last month.

Thankfully the day passed with two client meetings and no other mentions of Rangeman or anything of the sort. I said bye to Doug, packed my bag and went home.

"You're never going to believe what Doug asked me today." I told Cat when I got home.

"If you knew John Travolta?" She asked excitedly. She loved that Doug was so naive. She thought it was cute in a sad, lost puppy kind of way.

"John Travolta? That's random, but no." I said.

"Ya knew he's from a town that's like 10 minutes from South Hackensack. I looked it up after he asked about Bruce Willis." She said taking a sip from her beer.

"No, he asked me if I had ever heard of a certain security company based out of Trenton." I told her looking slightly smug.

"What did he ask?" Her face was now serious.

I told her about the news story and how it was really Miami who made the bust, and after realizing there was no threat there, she though it was hilarious.

"I wish I could have seen your face!" She was laughing and Alex was playing with his Legos.

"I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I just froze. Damn pregnancy brain makes thinking harder." I laughed too, now realizing the humor in the situation.

"Swear Jar, Aunt Sam!" Alex called from the table.

"OOOOOHHHH, you're in trouble!" Cat teased me. She was stern and forceful when she needed to be, but caring and a goofball most of the time when it came to Alex.

I walked over and put a $5 in the jar. It was only $1 per swear word but I told Alex,

"The extra $4 is for when I go into labor, I cannot be held responsible for what I say so I'm prepaying now." I said to him.

I went home, showered, ate dinner, and watched more Netflix In my recliner wishing I could have a few beers myself after today.

I was finally in a routine and had a family right next door who understood me and loved me despite all my short comings.

I was happy in Cleveland. Never thought I'd think that.


	18. Chapter 18

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

…

**Ranger**

It's Sunday November 11th and Stephanie has been gone for 197 days. Sunday was the day I hated most. It was a non-business day and I had nothing to do but think.

I was driving myself crazy. Correction, that happened about two months ago.

I gave Hector the green light months ago to do anything necessary, no questions asked. The less he told me about the legality of his resources, the better. He was able to track Diesel and Stephanie all the way to State College, PA, but the cameras at a gas station they pulled into had been offline.

He had planned on stopping there and cut the exterior feeds beforehand. We assumed he swapped cars at that gas station, but even after attempting to see if either of them were visible in any car in the area, we came up short. It was a college town and not unusual for windows to be overly tinted.

The same car wasn't seen again on any highway feed till later Sunday afternoon heading back east. We were able to trace his route to Vermont where he left the car and went off on foot.

On September 18th around 0300, Hector ran into my office saying he found a possible hit on a woman in North Carolina who happened to match Stephanie's description and had seemingly appeared out of nowhere just a month and a half after she left.

He was having a hard time getting information on her which made us even more convinced it was Diesel's work.

Lester and I didn't even bother for more results to come back, we were at her door in Buxton, North Carolina before Hector called saying it wasn't her.

The WITSEC department wasn't exactly happy with Rangeman right now, but was grateful we found the loopholes in their own system. So now we have a contract with them for auditing to see if we could find their errors.

But still No Stephanie.

I was at my desk going over all the information, backwards again, hoping something would pop out at me, when there was a knock on my door.

Lester walked right in and sat down hard on the couch. He sat there staring at the celling for a few minutes before beginning.

"I can't take this anymore, man. I can't do this again." He was in even worse shape this time than last.

"For the first time in 20 years, I honestly don't know what to do. I've never felt this helpless before." My training and work for the better part of my life revolved around finding people. Most people don't disappear without a trace like this. Having Diesel involved makes things exponentially more difficult.

I doubt Stephanie knew the time and preparations it took for something like this to happen. Diesel set everything up weeks in advance and would have occurred a lot of expenses in the process. Funds Stephanie didn't have. He did this as a favor to her. And knowing Step left because of me, because of my inability to commit and communicate makes me not only as a failure a Ranger, but a man.

"When was the last time you two ate anything?" Tank asked walking in the door.

Neither of us were eating properly and spent a lot of time in the gym getting out the anger and frustration. We had both lost a little bulk, but were still in great shape.

"Ella is out of town this weekend visiting her new grandniece. She made a bunch of stuff before leaving, but I think it's pretty much picked over at this point." Lester said.

"Alright, get up. We're going to eat." Tank called Bobby and Hector to meet us at Pino's. We all knew how to cook, but rarely did anymore. If it was left up to us we would probably all survive on MREs and take out.

As we walked into Pino's all I could think of was how much I hated this place, all it did was remind me of Stephanie.

And bring me face to face with people like Morelli.

"Why did we come here over somewhere else?" I growled at Tank.

"Because it's the only place to eat still open at 1930 on a Sunday." Hector didn't like being here either by the tone of his voice.

As Morelli came walking over to the back corner booth we were sitting in I thought just maybe he would change his mind after seeing Hector's glare and leave us the hell alone, but once again I was wrong.

"Ranger, Tank, Lester, Bobby, Hector." He said in greeting.

"Bastardo" Hector mumbled under his breath.

"You know that bastard is the same in Spanish AND Italian?" Morelli said looking at Hector, not even slightly offended.

"Hmph" Hector grunted.

"Look, I know you guys partly blame me for Steph's leaving, I blame myself for it, too. And Hector, I know she's like a little sister to you, so you never liked me to begin with. I get it. I wouldn't like me either." Morelli said honestly. He looked beaten down.

He's been put through the ringer the last few months, too. The Burg was blaming him for Stephanie leaving. I don't think they really cared that she left, more that the main source of gossip was gone. In her letters she used the excuse of her and Morelli splitting for leaving, but we all knew that wasn't true.

"If you buy the first round you can sit with the cool kids." Lester told him. Even miserable, Lester was still the comic relief.

"I'm guessing there hasn't been any new developments?" Morelli asked after telling the waitress to bring out a handful of pitchers.

We have been breaking the no drinking rule pretty regularly lately. Plus it was Sunday and none of us were on call. I had technically had been since I got back.

"Hector developed carpal tunnel." Tank said.

Hector held up his wrist that were now in braces and gave Morelli two middle fingers. He had spent hours every day constantly typing and trying to find any kind of digital trace he could find. The only thing he's found is nerve pain.

The waitress brought over six pint glasses and three pitchers. Took our order of salads, subs, and pizza.

"Ya hear Vinnie is well below the red lately and might be closing up shop soon?"

I knew since Stephanie left he hired bimbo Barbie and she was trying to convince her skips to come with her using less than savory tactics.

Three skips have contracted chlamydia and now no one would come near her.

She's been using those same tactics to get Vinnie to give her the higher bonds normally reserved for us. He either ends up losing the bond to the court all together or calling us and begging us get them. We've raised our fee in these cases and he's barely breaking even on the bond.

"You going to start picking up skips for anyone else now?" Morelli asked

"Fugitive apprehension is actually only a small part of Rangeman's revenue. We could drop the service all together and it would neither make nor break us." I told Morelli.

Harry came to me and offered to sell us his bail bondsmen license three days after Lucille filed for divorce. I told him I wanted to see Vinnie sink first.

He gave Stephanie a job when she needed it. And Connie is the reason I had her in my life in the first place, so I would give him the opportunity to pull his head out of his ass and turn it around on his own merit before throwing him out on his ass.

"What about Connie?" Hector asked. He always liked Connie, said she was sassy.

"She'll be taken care of." I told Hec.

I knew Vinnie most likely wasn't going to make anything of his current situation and I would buy the license form Harry. When I did, I was planning on having Connie run it and write the bonds. I didn't want Rangeman's name on the front of the building.

Why would any fugitive use us as bail bondsmen when they knew they had no shot in hell of running?

The waitress brought everything out and we were quiet for a few minutes as everyone started to eat.

"Stephanie would have loved this. All of us sitting around eating pizza and drinking beer together." Morelli said sadly.

"She moans too much when she eats" Hector said before sipping his beer.

Stephanie eating made every man at the table, except Hector, slightly uncomfortable.

"Kelly couldn't bake to save her life. I wonder who is making her pineapple upside down cake." Lester laughed. I think it was the first time I'd heard him laugh in over six months.

"Helen made her a cake for her birthday just in case she decided to come home. Frank said it sat there for a week and a half till the pineapple grew mold, she wouldn't let anyone have even a bite." Morelli said.

"I wonder what she's doing without those damn TastyKakes. Hard to find outside of the Eastern US." Tank would know. He loved those damn things too, though he would never admit it to anyone, especially Stephanie. Tank loved cake. Cake didn't love Tank.

Hector stopped mid bite into a sub. His brows furrowed and you could tell he had something.

"Que?" Lester asked.

"I need to get back to my office." Hector grabbed his sandwich and stuffed over half of it in his mouth.

"What is it?" I asked sternly.

"I think I have an idea, and um, I need to research it." His eyes darted to Morelli. Whatever Hector was about to do was very illegal, and though I had no problem with it if it found Steph, Morelli might.

"Go, were right behind you." And Hector was halfway out the restaurant before I even got the words out. I waived the waitress over so we could leave.

"I got it. You guys have done a lot for me, and the city of the years and you've never really gotten a thank you for it. Find Stephanie and the next one's on me too." Morelli told us. We all shook his hand and headed back to Haywood.

I guess he really wasn't all _that_ bad.

As soon as we hit Haywood we all went into Hector's office. The basement housed holding cells, and Hector. That was it.

His personal apartment was the next door down the hall and his office was larger than anyone else's. It housed all the servers, backup servers, and other monitoring equipment and was required to stay right at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It was easier and more energy efficient to cool in the basement.

Hector was typing furiously and completely ignoring the intruders into his personal space.

I'm pretty good with computers and tech in general, but this stuff Hector does looks like Klingon to me.

I saw the search TASTYKAKE:BUTTERSCOTCH

"Why did you run out of dinner to search for TastyKakes? I can just run down to the convenient and get you some." Thank God Lester asked first and saved me from looking as stupid as he does right now.

He kept typing and ignoring us, so we just waited. About 10 minutes later he turned around and looked excited. It was a little concerning. I thought Hector might have finally cracked.

"Estephania loved those awful cakes. And Tank said they are hard to find outside of the area. So I thought. How would she get them? You know her, she wouldn't just settle for Little Debbie's." Hector was ranting, talking a mile a minute.

"She would order them from somewhere, most likely online if they aren't in the area." I could see where he was going with this, and though it was a long shot, it was better than anything else we've had in the last three months.

"And she would order them pretty frequently if she ate them like she usually does." Bobby knew she ate like shit and tried everything to get her to change her habits. I did too, but if it made her happy, I usually caved.

"Amazon would probably be the easiest." Tank fucking loved Amazon. He hated shopping and if something could be delivered here or to his own mother in two days when he constantly forgot her birthday, instead of going to the mall and having to ship it himself, to him that was a miracle.

"Did you get in?" I asked Hector, Amazon had to have some of the best cyber security personnel in the world. Hector was good, but I don't know if even he was that good.

He was back at the computer, typing away. Without looking back at us he continued,

"Since I'm not looking for credit card or payment information, just product and shipping, I was. There's roughly a hundred orders for the butterscotch things in the last four months, I'm going to try to narrow it down to people with multiple orders."

I was going to kick myself in the ass if her snack food addiction led us to her. How did I never think of that before?

"There are only twelve people in the country to make multiple orders in the last four months. Seven of them have female names."

Hector went to the printer and printed seven pages, one page for each person with a name and address for each of the seven people.

"Everyone take a name, I'll do three. Do a basic search, get a license photo." Hector rolled his chair over to another computer and started searching.

We each took a paper and ran up the stairs to the offices on five.

Bobby's office was on three, so he just jumped in one of the cubicles, while the guys on monitor duty looked like we were all crazy.

I ran a quick search on Danielle Kowalski. She was 23 and lived in Oregon. Cute kid. Not Stephanie.

My heart sank at seeing this pretty brunette with straight hair. I knew it was a long shot but it was hope I hadn't felt in a long time. My phone rang and as I glanced at the caller ID I felt my heart speed up a little bit again.

"I'm sorry jeffe. Nothing." My heart sank again

"I'll check with…" I was interrupted by Bobby's voice booming loud enough I know Hector could hear it through the phone.

"HOLY SHIT I FOUND HER!"

I threw my chair back, ran into the cubicle and pushed Tank out of my way.

Ohio driver's license photo showed a blonde with loose wavy curls. The hair was different but it was Stephanie. I would know those eyes anywhere.

Samantha Costas. 19375 Boston Rd, Strongsville, Ohio.

Hector was flying through the stairwell door breathing heavy.

His eyes set on the monitor and he took a deep breath like he hadn't been able to in the last seven months.

"Move" He pushed Bobby's chair off to the side and he went tumbling onto the floor.

I couldn't move. I just stared at the picture on the monitor. We finally found her.

"LESTER! Get us on the next flight!" He was already staring at his phone

"The next flight to Cleveland from Newark doesn't leave till 645 tomorrow morning. It's about a seven hour drive from here, I bet we can make it in less than six." Challenge accepted. I had located her, but I hadn't actually found her yet. Now was my time to go into action.

"Hector, run a detailed search. I want to know everything about the last seven months. If Stephanie is with Kelly we need to know her location too. Look for any connections Samantha Costas has with anyone in the area. Text me details."

"I need to grab some things from my safe. Garage in 5." Lester grabbed keys to God knows what fleet vehicle and was running down the stairwell.

I ran up to seven and grabbed everything out of the safe. Her rings, her Rangeman paperwork, everything. They were all dated to years prior, long before she left. She might need evidence I wasn't just saying shit to bring her home.

I ran out of seven, not even bothering to shut the door and back down to five.

I stuck my head through the door to yell,

"Call Morelli. Don't give any details yet, tell him to keep it quiet."

I didn't wait for an answer, I ran back down to the garage, Lester already waiting in the dark blue Porsche that they had bought for Stephanie while I was gone.

Lester knew better than to question me right now, and was already in the passenger seat. I got in the driver seat, damn near peeling out of the garage, and was down route one in minutes.

As we passed Morgantown on 76 west, some of the adrenaline was starting to fade. I had over five hours till we got there and I needed every second of it to think.

"Why the hell are you only going 70?" Lester was never patient and had been bouncing his knee since we pulled out of Rangeman.

"Because I don't need to be getting pulled over and our ETA is going to be about 0400 as it is. We have time. I'm not risking something happening right when were this close to finding them."

"Why hasn't Hector called yet with more information? It's been almost an hour since we left." Lester was irritated.

"Call him."

Lester connected his phone to the Porsche's Bluetooth and dialed Hector.

"I was getting ready to call. There's not a whole lot to find but the address listed on Stephanie's driver's license is a home owned by Catherina Kirkpatrick. Catherina lives in the house next door, technically on the same property, and Ohio BMV photo confirms its Kelly. I sent it to your phone already to confirm."

Lester opened his messaging app and didn't speak. It was the first time he had seen anything other than an old picture of Kelly in almost seven years. I glanced over to look and it was definitely her.

She was blonder than she used to be, and not quite as tan. Living in Cleveland and not being deployed to some country too close to the equator will do that. Her eyes showed some of the age and stress of the last seven years, but she still looked good.

"Lester, there's something else you need to know and I need to know you're not driving right now." Bobby was now on the line.

Bobby and Les had been inseparable for years. Brothers in every way. If there was bad news it would only be Bobby who would tell him.

"I'm driving." I said over the speakers.

"Les, another picture is about to come over your phone. I need you to stay calm and try and remember why Kelly left in the first place."

Les opened the second picture and at first glance I thought Bobby had sent a picture of him when we were kids. The dark hair, mischievous green eyes, and slightly crooked smile were identical to the Lester Santos I grew up with.

"Les, the little boy's name is Nicholas Alejandro. He's listed at the same address as Kelly, as her son, with no father on his birth certificate. He's almost six." Bobby sounded slightly broken by what he was telling Lester.

Lester just stared at the photo. There was no denying that kid was Lester's.

The car was quiet for a full sixty seconds before Bobby's voice came over the speakers

"Les. You alright man?"

"I have a son. She left when she was pregnant and the cartel came after her." Facts we had all pretty much put together by now.

"She even named him after Abuelo." He said finally looking at me. Alejandro was our Mothers' father's name. Nicholas was Lester's middle name.

"Do we have any other information?" I asked. I wanted to know everything I was getting into before we got there.

"Are there any other occupants in the houses?" I didn't need to be walking in on either of them and some other guy.

"No other occupants listed." Tank was still on the line. He continued to give all the information about Stephanie's work history for an investigations company, Kelly works at a gun range. That made me laugh a little inside. Kelly had always loved anything that went boom.

I pull into a truck stop right off the highway and parked as far back as I could. Lester Immediately jumps out of the car and starts pacing. Its only 2230 and we still have hours of driving left, but Lester needs a break. He's coiled too tightly and being confined into a car for him is like a tiger in a cage too small.

"Any other pertinent information?" I asked

"Uh. Nope. That's it." Bobby said but I could hear whispering and commotion in the background which made me think otherwise.

"Send the report with everything you have to me."

"Your phone is sitting on your desk here. So no can do." Bobby told me. Shit. I was in such a rush I hadn't realized I forgot my phone. I don't forget things.

"Send it to Lester then." I was getting irritated and knew they were hiding something.

"Yep. Will do. Keep us posted." Bobby quickly said before hanging up.

I stepped out of the car and Lester was pacing off to the side. I just leaned up against the hood of the car and watched him for a few minutes. He'll talk when he's ready.

"She was pregnant. With my baby. And she left. She couldn't have even been bothered to tell me she was pregnant in the letter she wrote me." His hands were flying everywhere and any trace of the calm collected goofball soldier was long gone.

"That's why she got pulled form that mission in South America. She found out she was pregnant. Her being pulled is what made them suspicious. Made the come looking for her." He was ranting now. His pacing only increasing in speed.

"I mean I knew she left cause of that, but she was more than capable of handling her own, so it didn't really make sense. I just though she got sick of the bullshit and wanted out. Sick of me too, maybe. I know we weren't actually together a lot with both of us being deployed to some God forsaken part of the world, ridding it of humanity's shit heads, but I thought we were pretty strong, ya know."

"Now you know the truth, she left to protect your son." I was trying to help, but I honestly didn't really know how.

"My son. Does he even know I exist? Does he know my name? Did she tell him his Daddy was dead or some other morbid shit like that?" And now he was spiraling.

"I mean he's mine. Look at him. If he didn't look exactly fucking like me I would wonder if she left cause she got knocked up by some other dude. But Really. LOOK AT HIM!"

He held the phone up again and stuck it right in my face. I'd seen it already, but at this close up he was a carbon copy of Lester at 6. I wonder if he was as mouthy and defiant as we were at that age.

"At first I was hurt, that she left without so much as a goodbye, then I got pissed. I stayed pissed. That anger fueled me for a loooonnnnnngggg time. The hurt was still there, and I missed her. I have missed her like fucking crazy."

"Ya know, even when we had first gotten together, long before she left, she has always been the biggest pain in my ass. Always fighting me on everything. What movie to watch, where to go to eat. She argued with me about everything. "

Their fights were epic. A Cuban and an Irish woman. It was like an episode of _I Love Lucy_ but with too much tequila, whiskey, and better insults. She once left him at a restaurant 45 miles off base. Got pissed, pick-pocketed HIS car keys, and left his ass there. He had to call a cab home, cost almost $100. He was pissed. She called him a stubborn ass, he called her a pretentious hag, so she threw a beer bottle at his head. I would have done worse if I was her and he called me a hag.

"How do I stay pissed at her knowing she left and ruined her own fucking life so she could keep my son safe!?"

"FUCK!" He screamed and at the top of his lungs and threw the phone up against the front of the car and it shattered.

I gave him a minute to catch his breath before answering.

"You don't." I said still leaning up against the car. He was losing steam and stopped to stare at me, waiting for an explanation.

"I can see why she left. I don't agree with it, but I can at least understand it. What I did with Julie wasn't a whole lot different. The things someone does to keep their children safe, doesn't always make sense to someone who's not a parent." I regretted that day since before I even signed the papers giving away my rights. I felt like I abandoned her. I wondered if she would grow up resenting me, I thank God she didn't, and a lot of that I have Ron and Rachel to thank for. But I got lucky.

"That was also our only phone." I said picking up the shattered glass and plastic off the ground. Left a nice little scratch in the new Porsche's paint job too.

"Shit. Alright. Thanks for letting me vent for a minute. I needed that." He took a few deep breaths and walked back towards the car.

"You going to drive like our Abuela the rest of the trip? Or do I need to drive?" He said opening the passenger side door.

I just glared at him and I opened my own door and got in. Lester was still a little fidgety but wasn't about to bounce out the window anymore.

"Nervous?" I asked as we pulled back onto the turnpike.

"Yeah. Not about seeing Kelly though. I thought I would be, but now I'm nervous about meeting my kid. What if he doesn't like me?" Only Lester or Stephanie would make such a jump from pissed off to concerned about if someone would like them or not.

"I'll never admit I said this, but you're kind of hard not to like." I was in a much better mood than I had been the last six months and I could feel it. I couldn't completely take a deep breath till I could actually see her in front of me, but we were closer than we had been in months. Years in Kelly's case.

We were only hours away to finally finding them and I was now hauling ass to make that time even less.

**TANK**

"What the hell Bob?" I asked him after he abruptly ended the call with Ranger and Lester.

"Telling him that kind of information while driving is dangerous. You heard how Lester reacted." He tried to rationalize.

"I sent the report to Lester. He will know soon enough." Hector was smiling, it still creeped me out when he did that. He never smiled before hanging out with Step.

"He's gonna fucking flip, and he's gonna be pissed you didn't tell him on the phone." I told Bobby.

"Hey, I already told one guy today he had a kid he didn't know about, I wasn't tell Ranger, too!" Bobby hated confrontation. If he hadn't joined the Army when he did I was positive he would have ended up a stoner walking around in tie dye smelling like patchouli oil with dreadlocks telling everyone to just "chill out man".

"What do you think he's gonna do when he finds out. He's always been pretty adamant about not wanting kids. Especially after Julie." Bobby looked nervous. Hell even I was nervous or Steph.

"That is why she left. Because dumb dumb always told her he didn't make mistakes like marriage or children. She was probably worried he would treat her and the baby like Julie and Rachel. Like another business transaction." Hector said.

Shit, I probably would have left, too. That on top of the constant pressure and nagging from her parents and the Burg. It was a recipe for disaster for Stephanie.

"Dumb dumb? Really?" Bobby looked at Hector.

"I'm trying to clean up my language. There's gonna be a bebe!." Hector smiled again excitedly.

Still creepy.

NOTES

Ok. Since we all know whats gonna happen in the next chapter, its either going to be broken up into two, Lester and Kelly, then Ranger and Steph, or one super long chapter. Hard to say right now, but probably going to take a while.

Unlike a lot of others on here, I post when I finish, not on any kind of schedule. So if work is busy, I dont get as much done. Patience is a virtue... or whatever.


	19. Chapter 19

againstll familicaar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

…

**Lester**

"Exit the Ohio turnpike and continue onto I 71 south."

"Good thing this car has built in GPS." Ranger glared at me.

"Yeah, ok. I broke my phone. Not my fault you left yours sitting in Jersey."

We'd been sitting in the car for over six hours. We were less than 15 minutes from their house and I was getting jittery again.

"How do you want to play this?" I asked Ranger. We were going to be rolling up 0400 and I would imagine Kelly would have some kind of security system on the property. My mind had been preoccupied for the last six hours with Kelly and my son. The name on his records were Nicholas Alejandro. Do I call him Nick? Nicky?

Does he even know who I am? Will Kelly try to shoot me when I walk up? That was a strong possibility.

"I show there's a few businesses about a mile away. I want to park the car, eat and clean up a bit and continue to the property on foot. I don't want to wake them up in the middle of the night. We're already going to scare the shit out of them just by showing up, and I want to do a little recon on the property. There' something Bob wasn't telling me over the phone."

It was still pretty early and fucking cold here. We rerouted to a 24 hour Walmart not far away to grab sweatshirts and find something mildly healthy to eat. We took our time cleaning up and eating. We decided to go in about just before sunrise. It was a Monday and chances were they would be up fairly early for work and school. We got back in the car and started to a location closer to their houses.

Ranger was being quiet. Even for a man who rarely spoke.

"You're nervous, too." I looked smugly at him.

"Yes." He glared sideways at me.

"You think Steph will tell you she doesn't want to be with you? Cause you know that's bullshit right?"

"It's not out of the realm of possibilities."

"You think Kelly will try to shoot me?"

"Yes." Ranger half smiled.

We pulled into another gas station about a mile away, parked off to the side and continued down a country road that looked like it had a lot of traffic for being early.

It took less than 15 minutes to walk to the property and my heart was racing faster the closer we got.

We walked up to the driveway and looked down at the property. There were two houses that looked identical but in different sizes. The house off to the left was the larger of the two. There was a large pole barn behind and in the middle of the two houses. No cars parked out front. All lights inside appeared off. No visible camera to be seen, but there probably were. We weren't planning on making our presence unknown, so we didn't really give a shit if we were on camera or not.

We knew the house on the right was 19375 by the mailboxes and the left was 19377, Kelly's house.

"Remain unseen until confirmed they are awake. Try not to let Kelly shoot you." Ranger said while going right. The property was wooded, but not overly dense. I could see him go around the house and to the back of the property. I followed suit going to the left.

I moved quietly through the brush underneath my feet, a skill long mastered in the Rangers. I reached the side of the house and saw a motion spot light pointed in this direction, so I went wide to avoid it. As I reached the rear of the property, it was obvious a little boy lived here.

There was a play set with a rock wall, a baseball net, a miniature basketball hoop, and other toys scattered around. It made me happy my son was playing outside and appeared to have more toys than necessary.

I spotted another motion spot light and hugged closer to the house to avoid it.

I peeked into one of the windows and saw what appeared to be the master suite. There was a standard bedroom set, with pictures on the dresser. It was too far away and too dark in the room to see them though. The bed also looked like it had been slept in but the occupant was no longer in it.

"Shit."

"Hands above your head before I blow them off." I hadn't heard that voice in so long. Even when threatening to shoot me, it was the most beautiful voice I had ever heard in my entire life. It was sexy and demanded respect but sweet and sassy all at the same time. That voice was turning me on for the first time in _years_.

"But you used to like what I did with my hands." I said playfully while complying with her demands. I may be flirting shameless, but I was still at gunpoint and not a complete moron.

I heard a quick intake of breath as she realized who her intruder was.

"Turn around so I can see you." She didn't believe it, you could hear it in her voice and it was cute.

I slowly turned around, hands still in the air. When she saw my face the gun dropped.

The sun was just starting to come up and the look on her face was priceless. It went from worry, to shock, to happy, and now it was kind of angry. She was sexy as hell with her lips slightly parted in surprise, her hair was messy and she was wearing little shorts and a tank top, obviously just waking up.

"Why are you here? How did you find me? Who else knows you're here?" She asked walking towards me and grabbing me by the arm. I was stronger and could have resisted but my skin lit up at her touch. She had picked up the gun and was looking around nervously.

"Want to have this conversation inside. You're not in danger, I promise." She looked like she was turning purple. Her skin was so fair you could easily tell when she was cold.

"No. I don't want you inside. We can continue this out here." She was being stern with me. I used to do something goofy and make her smile when she was like this and she would usually cave to me. I didn't know if that would still work.

"Someone else is here with you." Her eyes darted over to Stephanie's house. She made him.

"Ranger." I smiled a little. She knew right then and there her game was up.

"How did you find us?" She looked like she hadn't had any coffee yet, and if some things never changed, she was a beast in the morning before her coffee.

"How about we go inside, and we can talk over coffee?" I asked gently, knowing that was her weakness right now.

"I told you I don't want you inside." She was staring right in my eyes. God I missed this woman.

"I want to meet my son." I said sternly and right to her, making no mistake how serious I was about this.

She let out hard breath and I could tell when her walls fell.

She moved around me and started for the back sliding door. I walked inside to see a nice house. I wasn't sure what I was expecting. I'd had so many theories and places she had been over the years, and none of it was a normal looking house in Ohio. Guess that's why her hiding place worked so well, for so long.

She walked over, pulled on a sweatshirt, and came back to the kitchen where she grabbed two coffee cups out of the cupboard and filled them three quarters full. She grabbed the milk and coffee creamer out of the fridge and set them on the counter with a spoon in front of me.

We took a minute drinking coffee and just looking at each other. She finally took a deep breath,

"Ok. I guess first things first. How did you find us?" She almost sounded like she had accepted the situation already.

"You're going to laugh about it eventually, so don't be pissed." I thought it was funny. She didn't say anything, just gave me the continue motion with her right hand while sipping coffee with the left. She didn't look like she might be amused.

"Steph's Tastykake Amazon orders." I really hope she didn't get pissed at Steph and blame her.

Her face scrunched up and she made a snorting sound. About 2 seconds later she was laughing hysterically and about damn near fell off the kitchen stool.

I couldn't help but smile at her. Her laugh was amazing. Full smile, a little dorky, and her eyes always sparkled.

She wiped the moisture from her eyes and smiled.

"I actually told her to do that. She must have went to twenty different stores one day when she had a craving and couldn't find them so I ordered some on Amazon for her. She buys a box every two weeks now. I guess I only have myself to blame for this."

I was glad she was seeing the humor in the situation and not blaming Stephanie.

"I always knew this day would come eventually. You can't run forever. I made it almost seven years, and when Diesel first came to me asking me to help Sam, sorry Stephanie, I initially said no. Jess convinced me to say yes, and I think I subconsciously wanted to be found. Alex has been asking more and more questions about you and they were getting harder to answer."

"He knows who I am?" I was actually a little surprised she was so forthcoming about me with him. I wasn't sure what to think but this sure as hell wasn't it.

"I could never lie to him. I couldn't let him believe something that wasn't true and I knew if I did, he would grow up and find the truth eventually and resent me for it. He'll be awake soon and I guess this is as good of an excuse as any for him to play hooky from school."

"Thank you." I was ssurprised by her willingness to allow me into their life.

"I need you to make me a promise before I allow you into our lives." She was serious again.

"Depends on what you're asking I smirked." That was always my response when she used to ask for something.

"We have to stay hidden. I won't risk something happening to Alex or myself. The Valljeo's are known for eliminating all targets, no matter how old."

"Well good thing they are all dead or in some black hole of an unlisted government prison."

When Ranger and Bobby came home, the overly classified operation they were on dropped down a few levels. Me and Tank were finally allowed to know what happened and only then because we had all been debriefed again for prior deployments to disband the cartel.

The Valljeo's cartel had finally been eliminated after three decades of ruling the Columbian drug trade. The amount of death and destruction they left in their wake will be remembered by thousands for years to come, and the holes they left will surely be filled by some other lower level gangs, but the stronghold they held over government officials and the country in general is finally over.

And Kelly. She no longer needed to live in fear of retribution since her name was wiped completely clean of all files in connection with the Valljeo's.

" Ranger convinced the general a few months ago to wipe your name from anything connecting you to south America, not just the Valljeo's, after disbanding and eliminating them." Her face when hearing this was a thing of beauty. It was relief and hope all in one.

"You're telling me I can finally go home?" Her voice cracking a little.

"You call him Alex?" I didn't want to talk about drug cartels, I'd had enough of that for a lifetime.

"He's so much like you two. The relentless flirt. And so stubborn. Sometimes he argues with me just to argue, I swear." She laughs.

"Kelly, I. I…" I was trying to find the words to explain but nothing seemed to fit. She was always so good at reading me and knew what I was trying to say.

"I know. And I'm so sorry, Lester, for leaving. You and the guys were in Afghanistan at the time and it seemed like the only viable option. I went to the Army first for help, but you know how they are. Told me I broke my contract by leaving the operation early which caused this so I was on my own. I couldn't risk our baby getting hurt and then I ran into Diesel and he helped me create Catherina. I've thought about you every day, and the guilt I feel for keeping him from you was my burden to make sure he was safe. I knew leaving was a risk in itself. I knew it would hurt you and everyone else. I knew you would be irate with me and possibly move on to someone else…" A few tears escaped and left tracks on her cheeks.

"I'm having a really hard time staying pissed at you." I told her.

"You never could stay mad at me for long." She smiled. She knew how to get to me and that hadn't changed.

I took a calculated risk and stood up and moved over to her. She watched me as I put my hands on both sides of her and blocked her between me and the kitchen counter.

I took an even bigger risk when I leaned in close enough to feel her breath on my face and told her, "You owe me seven years. And the opportunity to watch you get fat with my children."

"O I do, do I?" She laughed. She was getting ready to argue with me, I could feel it, so I just leaned in, putting my left hand on her lower back and pulled her into me.

The kiss was hard and intense. She didn't resist me like I expected, instead she grabbed the belt loops of my jeans and I could feel her need for me was just as strong as mine.

One thing we never had a problem with was knowing how the other one felt. She never tried to hide or play down her feelings for me. From the first date to the last, I never questioned if she loved me, no matter how many things she threw at my face.

I was just getting ready to move my hand under her shirt when I felt a sharp pain right in the back of my knee and it gave out.

"What the fuck?!" I was down on one knee and looked up to see a baseball bat swing at my face.

" Alex, NO!" Kelly screamed.

The bat hit me on the right side of the face as he screamed "Get away from my mommy!"

"Alex, give me the bat!" She held out her hand and Alex tried to explain, "Mommy I thought he was hurting you. He's a stranger and he's kissing you. What would daddy say?"

"Probably ask you who taught you to swing a bat so well." He looked right at me and it took him a second to realize who I was but as soon as he did he threw himself at me and wrapped his little arms around my neck.

"Daddy you're here!"

I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him to me. I couldn't help it, I cried. I was holding my son who felt like everything to me and I didn't even know he existed till eight hours ago.

I held him so tight I got worried I would hurt him. I pulled back and looked at him. It was like staring at myself 30 years ago. He was slightly lighter than me in color but not much of Kelly other than that.

I took a deep, unsteady breath and looked at Kelly who was staring at us.

"Daddy I've waited so long to meet you. Momma and Sammafa have told me all about you, and I have a whole bunch of pictures of you in my room! You're bigger than I thought you would be."

His little face got sad and I felt the need to do anything in my power to change it.

"I'm really sorry for hitting you, but Sam says I'm the man of the house when you're not here and I gotta protect momma." He was staring at the spot the bat connected with my cheekbone. I could feel like warm wetness and knew it was bleeding.

"You did good mijo, you didn't know who I was and though I was hurting Momma, I'm not mad at all. Pretty impressed with how well you swing that bat though." Kelly had handed me a paper towel and I was dabbing the blood off my face. It was tender and selling already, I had a good feeling that would leave one hell of a mark tomorrow.

He started rambling about baseball and soccer and all this things he's heard about me. He was talking so fast I was having a hard time keeping up. I hadn't noticed when Kelly walked away to get her phone but heard her make two calls to call herself off work and to call Alex off school.

"We get to spend the day with Daddy?" Alex asked practically yelling.

"It's time you go to know your dad. And we can't do that in school." she smiled at us.

I was amazed how receptive Kelly was being. I walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her waist and dipped her to kiss her dramatically.

"Ewww, Dad!" Alex said. He said it like it was totally normal, and gross, to see me kissing his mother.

I was someone's Dad and he loved me even though he never met me, and my woman loved me, even after all this time.

"Get used to it son." I laughed right before hearing a crashing noise and screaming coming from outside.

"O Shit, Sam!" Kelly yelled while running out the house. Alex grabbed his bat and started running after her. I grabbed Alex, swinging him up and carrying him while following Kelly outside.

As we walked out the back door and came around the house what I saw stopped me dead in my tracks.

"Holy Shit!" The scene before me was like a train wreck you couldn't look away from.

Stephanie was in black silk boxers and a tank top that looked two sized too small for her newly _very_ pregnant frame. She was throwing anything she could get her hands on at Ranger who was screaming back at her and frantically trying to avoid the flying objects.

Ranger yelled "Deja de tirrarse cosas, loca!" Good thing Stephanie doesn't know Spanish. Hell even I know don't call a pregnant lady crazy.

Her eyes got even crazier as she threw a quart of motor oil at him from off a shelf in the garage. And though he dodged the container itself, the cap wasn't on all the way and it spewed motor oil all over him. Ranger just stood there looking pissed and mumbling in Spanish.

"Llamame loco una vez mas!" Stephanie responded in near perfect pronunciation.

Ranger paled at the realization Steph had understood and I don't think I'd ever seen that before.

It was Jerry Springer in Cleveland.

"Why is Aunt Sam throwing stuff at Uncle Ranger? And you gotta put $2 in the swear jar." Alex said to me.


	20. Chapter 20

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

…

...

Ranger

As we reached the house, doing a little recon, I was surprised how Midwestern normal it was. It was on a wooded lot set back from the road, providing a bit of privacy. It's not somewhere I would have pictured Stephanie choosing to run away to.

As I walked around the right side of the property, I spotted the motion lights and camouflaged security cameras hidden in the trees. I wasn't overly concerned about being on camera, as I would make my presence known soon enough, but it might trip a security alert.

As I reached the back of the property I saw movement in the other house. I watched as Kelly slid out of the backdoor and stalked behind Lester.

He might be more aware of his surroundings if he wasn't busy being a peeping tom.

She drew and steadied her weapon like a seasoned pro.

Lester was actually attempting to flirt with her. Dumbass.

As he made himself known and attempted to get her to move the conversation inside she started looking around nervously.

There was no way she saw or heard me. I hadn't made a sound or moved from behind a large oak tree. Lester told her it was me and she seemed to believe him.

As they headed inside, I made my way back to the house I was stalking. I walked around the perimeter seeing nothing through shaded windows before picking the lock on the back door like I used to do with her apartment.

As I entered, the alarm pad was beeping next to the door. Shit. I hadn't seen any evidence of an alarm system and it was out of the ordinary for Stephanie.

Standard codes were 4 digits and I only had 15 seconds to punch in the correct code. I thought about what Stephanie might use and I doubt she would choose anything too obvious. I thought about what code I used and tried the Stephanie equivalent.

0812 and the alarm disarmed.

I walked into a nice house with open kitchen and living room area. She had placed some photo frames with pictures of her family and friends and bunch of my men sporadically throughout.

There was a pot soaking in the sink and a frying pan on the stove. Stephanie cooking would be a sight. Surprised the house isn't a pile of ash.

As I moved through the house it was obvious Stephanie has made this her home with small touches and accessories throughout the area.

Walking down the hall and from outside, I was able to conclude it was a two bedroom single bathroom. The bathroom door was open and appeared to be a normal bathroom. My shower gel was on a shelf in the shower.

Moving further down the hall I opened another door and froze. My breathing stopped and my head started spinning.

The bedroom was made into a nursery with baby paraphernalia everywhere. The crib was in the center of the left wall with grey bedding with deer and other animals on it, but no baby in it.

The changing table was stocked but nothing was opened. The dresser was littered with other things, along with a picture frame that said 'Daddy's My Hero'. As I walked over to it, I saw the picture of me inside the frame.

I tripped backwards into the wall. Unable to think I just stood there staring at everything. It was like being in the twilight zone. An alternate life staring back at me. Looking around the room, there was more pictures of me and one of me and Stephanie from a distraction gone wrong. It was in a frame that said 'first comes love'.

"Hands up. Move slowly." Her voice came from behind me. I didn't follow direction and whipped my body around to see Steph standing there with a Glock 26 trained right on me.

She was Stephanie with blonde, less curly hair, which was just like her driver license photo. Her eyes were the same sapphire blue that reflected the light and looked like deep ocean pools. My eyes took her in as a whole next, scanning down her body. They went wide at the sight of her round belly barely covered by a too small tank top.

I couldn't move, I couldn't think. I just stood there.

"Babe?" This one was more of an 'I need an explanation' Babe.

She gasped and lowered the gun when she realized who I was in the darkness.

She started breathing heavy and she braced herself against the doorframe with one hand.

"Why are you here?" Her voice sounded broken. It made my chest constrict and broke me out of my stupor.

"Because you left. Which I can now see why." I was mentally doing the calculation in my head and trying to guess how far along she was. From the picture on the dresser I had eliminated Morelli or anyone else being the father. We were together just before I left, but that was only seven months ago. She was either having twins or further along. She looked ready to go into labor at any minute.

Then I remembered a month and a half or so before I left we had been together after a distraction. I left at 0500 before she woke up. I sat in that damn chair staring at her for 25 minutes before I left, debating if I was going to be this asshole again or tell her.

I was the asshole again.

"How long?" My voice sounded so small, not like the commander I was.

"I'm due in less than three weeks. Why are you here? I told you not to look for me." She seemed almost angry.

I was trying to do math in my head again and everything was making it difficult. Due three weeks, average pregnancy is 40 weeks, conception was in March. I left in mid-April.

She looked like she was getting impatient. She looked angry.

"I came because you left without a trace. You left without a goodbye and a chance to give you an explanation."

"How did you find me?" She was definitely angry and I wasn't quite sure why.

"Amazon Tastykake orders. Hector thought of it and hacked the system. Did searches and finally found you." I figured short and to the point might suffice her questions so I can get my answers.

"Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me! My snack food addiction was my demise? For Christ's fucking sake, I can't even keep them down half the time!" Her Italian temper in full swing, hands flying everywhere. Her Jersey accent seemed almost undetectable.

"Why are you here Ranger? To tell me to come home so I can waddle around the Burg while everyone points and talks about me behind my back? So my kid can get made fun of for not having a dad? No thanks. I'm good here. You can leave now." She turned around and started walking back down the hall.

What the hell was that?

"I'm not leaving till you give me an explanation. You disappeared pregnant with my child and didn't plan on telling me. And from my calculations you knew about it before I left." Her anger and words were fueling my own. I was still calm and controlling my temper but the situation and the last seven months of stress was testing my limits.

"I don't owe you anything. I was saving you from your own mistake. You're welcome." She said with more sarcasm I'd ever heard from her as she slammed her bedroom door in my face.

That did it. I felt my blood pressure spike and I could hear my pulse in my ears.

"Open this fucking door, Stephanie." I growled. I never growled at Stephanie. I never raised my voice to her. In all the dumb shit she's done over the years, I was never upset with her like I was right now.

"Bite me." I could hear from the other side. I took out my pick and picked her lock on the bedroom door. As I walked in she was already crawling back into bed like I wasn't even here.

"You own me an explanation, Stephanie." I told her. I was blocking the doorway so she couldn't leave. I knew she hated when people forced her to do something but right now I was going to do anything in my power to get answers from her.

"Not that you would remember from when Rachel had _your_ daughter, being that you weren't even there, pregnancy makes a woman very tired. So if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go back to sleep. I don't have to work till noon today." She just continued to crawl under the covers.

"I am not leaving till you talk to me." I could stand in this doorway for days.

"I did talk to you. I told you to go away." She was snuggling down into her pillows and closed her eyes.

"Did you know you were pregnant when I left?" If this was the only way I was going to get answers then so be it.

"Yes. And it wouldn't have made a difference if I told you, anyways." She yawned.

"And why do you think that?" I needed to find out where her mindset was when she left.

"You're not going to let me go back to sleep are you?"

I didn't answer, I just raised one eyebrow with a 'what do you think?' look I know she would understand.

"UGH! Fine." She got up and went to walk out the bedroom.

"Move. I have to pee. Again." I stepped out of the doorway to allow her entrance to the bathroom.

I went out into the kitchen to make coffee and couldn't find anything. Since when did she stop drinking coffee?

"You can ask your questions, I'll answer, then you go back to Trenton and leave us alone." She said matter of fact with attitude as she went to sit in a recliner in the living room.

I followed her and stood directly in front of her. She just stared at me, waiting.

"When did you find out you were pregnant?" I had already deducted that was her reason for leaving. Not whatever excuse she told me and everyone else.

"About twenty minutes before you came over the day you left." This Stephanie wasn't the one I said goodbye to months before. This Stephanie was colder, more calculated in her answers.

"And what was your reason for not telling me?" I was having a hard time keeping my temper down again.

"I already told you, it wouldn't have mattered. You would have left anyways. And then when you came back I would have been treated like another line in your budget. Only this time it would be 'child support' instead of 'entertainment'." She used her fingers to put air quotes around child support and entertainment.

I was really sick of getting this accounting error throw back in my face.

"Listing you as entertainment in my company's budget was a mistake on my part. I should have never done that. I removed that years ago and added you as a permanent employee of Rangeman." I was trying to explain my mistakes and atone for them.

I knew if I let me tempter out again it wouldn't help us solve anything. I needed Stephanie to understand I loved her and wanted her, and this baby, in my life.

"You don't make mistakes like marriage and children. That's what you told me, among other things, more than once. I gave you an out on this one so you wouldn't have to deal with your mistake." How could she ever think she or that baby was a mistake?

"Stephanie you weren't a mistake. I don't know your full reasoning why you left but I need to know. I love you and when I left, I wanted to tell you, but I wasn't 100% sure I was even coming back. I couldn't not come home after telling you and then have it break you."

Her face seemed to soften a little bit, but she snapped out of it quickly.

"You love me? Now you love me? After I left. What, did you get bored in Trenton with no one to save?" Her Jersey attitude was coming back full force.

"I deserve that. I was selfish and hid my feelings for you for a very long time. I was never sure when I would get called away and not come back, and my enemies made it clear they would target you. You deserved better. I thought Morelli was better for you. He could have provided the life I thought you wanted. I know I was wrong in that now."

I never like talking about feelings or expressing my emotions. It wasn't easy for me, but I had to suck it up. It was now or never.

"The mighty Manoso admitted he was wrong?" She gasped. I had to take a deep breath to keep my anger down again. Her sarcastic comments were really touching a nerve.

"Yes. I was wrong." Every muscle in my body was tightened like a spring and I needed to keep it under control.

She got a pained look on her face and started rubbing her belly.

"Are you in pain?" I took a large step forward, the look on her face replacing my anger with worry.

She held up her hand in a stop gesture, "Just a foot stuck in my rib." She took a few deep breaths and seemed to relax.

"Why did you really leave?" I asked. The anger and worry fading.

"I wasn't going to let my kid walk around the Burg being called the "Thug's bastard". I watched Lisa grow up and people snicker and talk about her and the other girls behind their backs about being born out of wedlock or cause their father was crap. Add in my reputation, the fact that it wasn't Morelli's and my inability to support myself, much less a child, I wasn't sticking around for that." She was still rubbing small circles on her belly. I wanted so badly to touch it.

"You know I would have supported you both." As soon as I said it I regretted it. She didn't want me to just support her financially. That's what I did with Rachel. She thought I was just going to support her and not want anything to do with her.

"Stephanie you are not Rachel. I never loved Rachel, and I married her to make sure Julie would be taken care of. I have always loved my daughter and tried to give her everything, including a Father who could be there for her, and that wasn't me at the time." I was starting to put all the pieces together.

She was starting to believe me and I could see it. She was quiet and tears were starting to make her eyes glassy.

I pulled the paperwork and rings out of my cargo pocket and handed everything to her.

"This might help you understand that I have loved you for years, even when I couldn't tell you."

She started to read it all and looked confused.

"I don't understand this. It says I'm a 15% shareholder of Rangeman industries and it's dated like two years ago." Her brows were furrowed in concentration as she looked at the rest of the papers in the stack.

"And this says the wedding rings you told me were borrowed for Hawaii were actually purchased by you over a year before we actually went to Hawaii. And you put the engagement ring in my name." She looked at me questioningly.

She looked at the last of the papers, my life insurance policies and details. It was pretty cut and dry. Everything I owned was split between Stephanie and Julie. My shares in Rangeman were also split, with the shares already given to her and the inherited shares it would make her the majority shareholder, and CEO of Rangeman.

It has been updated over the years, but the date was still long before she left.

"How long have you known you loved me?" She asked. Now or never

"Since the day we met, but it took me a while to accept it. And way to damn long to tell you. "I reached out and took the papers out of her hands and set them on the small table next to the recliner. I had the engagement ring from Hawaii still in my hand.

I took her hands in mine and looked right deep into her eyes.

"Stephanie Michelle Plum. I have loved you since the day I met you. I know I've said a lot of confusing and conflicting things, and I know my actions haven't always aligned with what I am telling you right now. But trust me when I tell you, I want you to be my wife. I want to have this family with you. And not because you left, I have wanted this long before that." I took her left hand and placed that ring back where it should have never come off from since I put it there in Hawaii. She looked at it and I placed my hand on her belly, feeling my baby move from inside his mother.

I took my right hand and cradled her belly, "Is it a boy or girl?" I didn't care which, as long as it was healthy. I was amazed at the scene in front of me, something I never thought would actually happen. Stephanie wearing _my_ ring, round with _my_ child.

All the stress of the eight months started to fade away and I knew my life was finally starting.

"Wait. So you've had all of this stuff for _years_?" She asked me. Shit. I knew where this was going and it wasn't going to end well for me.

"Yes."

"You've loved me for years, gave me part of your company, while leading me to believe something entirely different." She pushed me out of the way and was now up and out of the recliner pacing the living room.

"I was still under contract and couldn't risk something happening to you. I'm finally finished now. That was my last OP when I left." I was still kneeling on the ground, watching the wheels turn.

"Ok, but you could have told me that. Before you left. You could have been honest with me about your reasons and allowed me to make the choice for myself if I was prepared to deal with that. But you didn't. You made all these choices for me." She was getting angry again.

"Babe, I thought." She cut me off and didn't let me finish.

"_You thought_ Joe was better for me_. You thought_ I wanted that life. You never bothered to ask me about any of this. You didn't ask me if I wanted to be a Rangeman owner. You just did it. You didn't ask if I wanted to be a core team member, you just did it!" She was building up steam and her voice was getting louder.

"Babe, you need to calm down. Getting worked up like that isn't good for the baby." She was far enough along, stress like this could cause her to go into labor, and I wasn't ready for that. I needed us to sort this mess out before that happened.

"Calm down. _Really_? You're the one who just showed up here and started yelling at me! Breaking into my house while I was asleep demanding we talk!" She was yelling at me now.

I had seen her and Morelli get in plenty of Italian temper fueled fights, but had never been on the receiving end of it before.

"Stephanie I love you, everything I did was because I wanted to take care of you. I wanted to make sure you were well taken care of if anything ever happened to me." That was all true. I never wanted her to be without anything, even if I wasn't there to give it to her.

"Yeah. And all of this information would have been helpful seven fucking months ago!" She screamed at me.

"Agh." She bent over and gripped her belly.

"Babe" I got up and ran over to her, putting one hand on her lower back and one hand on her belly.

"Go home, Ranger." She pulled away from me.

"I'm not going anywhere. Not without you." She knew I wouldn't either.

"Fine. But get out of my house." She was obviously in pain.

"You need to go to the hospital. Call your doctor. I'll get your bag." I knew something was wrong and wasn't about to let her ignore it.

"I've managed through this entire pregnancy without you, I don't need you here. Get out!" She was screaming at me, her face was red and her breathing was ragged.

"Deep, slow, breaths." I was trying to step closer and she was well aware of it. She backed up into the kitchen counter, gripping the edge.

She closed her eyes, and took a few deep breaths.

"You don't get to just break in here and expect me to just forget everything you've ever said to me. When I need or want your help, I'll let you know." She started walking back into her room, the pain seemingly gone.

As she walked past me, I tried to stop her from walking away from me again.

"Babe"

She looked at the hand I had on her upper arm and back at my face.

"I'm not going to tell you again. Get out of my house."

"I'm not leaving." I told her again, more stern, not letting her go. It took me months to find her and over my dead body was I letter her go.

Stephanie has never been a violent person, and usually strayed away from any kind of physical confrontation. So when she picked up the toaster off the kitchen counter and threw it at me, I wasn't quite prepared for it.

"What the hell, Steph?" It hit me in the side of the head.

"I said, Get out!" She picked up the blender and threw that at me too.

She started picking up anything she could and throwing it in my direction. They were easy enough to dodge and her being very pregnant made her a much slower moving assailant.

"Stephanie, stop it!" I said dodging a can opener. I was walking backwards, and was out in the garage now. She stopped at the stairs and hit the garage door opener and grabbed a pair of shoes by the door and chucked those at me too.

"Actuando como un nino" I mumbled, more to myself. (acting like a child)

"O REALLY?" She spat at me and chucked a broom at me. Stephanie had never understood a damn thing I said to her in Spanish, if she had we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. I wasn't sure if she somehow learned over the last few months or misunderstood and though I said something else.

I was being pelted with anything and everything she could get her hands on while she kept saying 'Get out!'.

"I already told you I'm not leaving!" I yelled back at her.

I saw Kelly run out and stop dead in her tracks.

"Sam, are you alright?"

"Fine as soon as this asshole goes home!"

Lester appeared with a little boy I'm assuming is his son on his hip holding a baseball bat.

"HOLY SHIT!"

"Deja de tirrarse cosas, loca!" I yelled at her while ducking the dustpan to the broom. (stop throwing things at me, crazy woman)

O shit. From the look on her face, I think she learned Spanish.

Stephanie grabbed a plastic bottle of motor oil off the shelf. I have been able to dodge most of what she's thrown at me and this was easy enough but oil flew everywhere from the cap that wasn't on properly.

I was standing there in a screaming match with Stephanie covered in oil. This was NOT how I had thought this day would go.

"Llamame loco una vez mas!" Stephanie responded. Yep learned Spanish. ( call me crazy one more time)

I'm fucked.

I heard mini Lester say something to his father behind me, but was distracted by Stephanie gripping her belly in pain again.

Kelly rushed over to her, "Alright Sam, its ok. Breath." She told her while helping her sit on the step.

"ALEX!" She yelled and the little boy hopped down from Lester. "Go get Sam's purse, keys and her to go bag in the kitchen, you know which one."

Lester had rushed over to help Kelly with Stephanie.

"LES! O I'm so happy to see you!" Steph threw her arms around Lester.

"Beautiful, I missed you. Want to explain what happened?" He was laughing while looking from Steph back to me, dripping oil everywhere.

"He broke into my house! AGAIN! He always does that, why can't he just knock like a normal person!" Lester laughed again.

"Cause he's not normal, but you knew that already." He told her.

"He comes in and wakes me up….." She takes a few deep breaths, "tells me all about how much he loves me and did all this stuff without asking me first and expects me to just forgive his dumb ass."

"Yeah, we know. We've been telling him that for years!" Lester was making her smile.

"And then he called me crazy! Who calls a pregnant lady crazy!"

"Even I knew that." Lester told her, helping her up to get in the car Kelly had just unlocked.

"You ready?" Kelly asked her.

"Not at all." Steph replied.

I was frozen to my spot unsure what to do. I wasn't there when Rachel went into Labor. I wasn't home when any of my sisters had their kids. And Stephanie sure as hell wasn't fond of me right now, and I had to figure something out, and quick. I wasn't going to miss the birth of my second child too.

Alex walked over to me, "Aunt Sam has been a little crank lately. I think she'll feel better when the baby falls out." He whispered to me.

"Alex, get in the car." Kelly told her son, sternly.

"There's not room for you guys in here with two car seats in the back. My truck keys are on the counter in the kitchen, truck is in the barn out back. Southwest General Hospital. Take 71 north to Bagley rd. Left on Bagley, you won't be able to miss it about a mile down." She gave Lester a quick kiss, smiled at him, and hopped in the driver's seat.

I watched as they backed out of the garage and pulled away, Stephanie staring at me.

"I don't know how I managed to fuck everything up so badly." I said, mainly to myself.

"Should have listened to us. We told ya so." Lester smirked while turning to get the truck keys out of Kelly's house.

I hate it when he's right.


	21. Chapter 21

All familiar characters are JEs, not mine. I make no money. Just doing this for fun and cause I'm bored at work! Also first story so reviews and constructive criticism welcome! ENJOY!

Sorry its been a while. I went on vacation and like I've said before I do this for fun at work when its slow.

This chapter is long. And maybe a little graphic. I don't see a lot of men reading this kind of fanfiction so most women will be fine with the childbirth process.

Enjoy.

…

STEPH

"You think you were a little harsh on him?" Cat asked me as we were pulling onto the highway.

"NO. He made me go into labor early by breaking into my house in the middle of the night. I should have run him over with my car, throwing a toaster was me being nice."

"You threw a toaster at him?" She looked over at me, obviously trying not to laugh.

"Hit him right in the head." I said smugly.

"Well you're still alive after throwing a toaster at Ranger Manoso, so I definitely say he loves you." Her eyes wide.

"I hit Daddy with my baseball bat." Alex said from the back seat.

"What?" I was laughing now too.

"Well I thought he was a stranger kissing Momma, so I hit him in the leg. And then again in the face. I didn't know it was Daddy though!" Poor little guy looks so upset and guilty.

"So it sounds like your reunion went well." I asked Cat.

"Yeah. I mean I suppose I knew it would happen eventually, and Sam, I missed him like crazy. As soon as I was around him for more than five minutes again I just couldn't resist him." She looked like a love struck teenager and I envied her right now.

"How did he take the news about Alex?" I wondered how Lester would react to knowing he had a five year old.

"He already knew, probably came up on whatever report was run so he wanted to meet him. Then Alex gave him a black eye." She smiled.

"I didn't mean to!" Alex interjected from the back seat.

"You gonna give that massive rock back to him?" She asked me, I had totally forgotten about the ring on my finger.

"No. It's mine. I'm keeping it. He gave me 15% in Rangeman, too. And never told me about it. And made me a core team member. The other guys knew too and didn't tell me!" I was getting fired up again.

"So you're mad he gave you a massive amount of stock in a multi-million dollar company and trusted you enough to be a member of his most trusted circle." I didn't like that she was making me sound irrational.

"He didn't even ask me. He just did it. That's what I'm upset about." I had told her about the things him and Joe would do and knew I hated having other people make choices for me.

"Ok, I'll agree with you on that one, but why he did it was for the right reasons. He loves you." We were pulling off onto Bagley road and I was getting nervous.

"Do you think we should have stayed at home a little while longer? I mean my contractions are pretty far apart. They could be Braxton hicks, too."

"You're three weeks early and I'll put twenty bucks on your blood pressure being through the roof. You need to go." Dammit. I hated hospitals.

I even entertained the possibility of having an at home birth so I wouldn't have to spend time in the hospital, but as soon as they told me no epidural at home, hospital it was.

I had been here before for a few rounds of testing so we knew exactly where to go. We parked in the lot, went through the lobby and up the elevator to the maternity ward.

"Ah, crap!" Another one hit. They were getting stronger but I was getting used to them, and more prepared knowing they were coming.

There was an intercom on the wall to get buzzed in. The doors were locked at all times.

"Name Please." The woman asked right in the middle of the damn contraction.

"Samantha Costas. I'm three weeks early." It took a minute or two for them to look up my name, and by that point the contraction has passed and they buzzed us in.

At the front desk we got checked in and put into a labor and delivery room. I had bought my own labor gown on Amazon so I wasn't subjected to having to wear one of those awful backless hospital gowns and felt a lot more covered. I was then fitted with fetal monitors strapped around my belly and told to get comfortable.

Alex wasn't technically allowed in here, but until Lester got here, he would have to stay with us. We had originally made arrangements for Doug to take him for a sleepover with his son, but they are at Cedar Point for the weekend.

Another nurse came in while my nurse, Ashley, was hooking me up to everything annoying thing they had.

"Mrs. Costas, there are two gentlemen here at reception, uh, Mr. Manoso and Mr. Santos, requesting visitation. Would you like them to come up?"

I looked at Cat. I knew Lester had to come up to get Alex, but I wasn't really ready to see Ranger right now.

"Do you really want him to miss the birth of his baby?" She asked me. She was better at guilt tripping than my mother was. Thankfully she didn't use her powers often.

"Fine. But I reserve the right to kick anyone out." I told her.

"Just say the word and they're gone."

The on call doctor came in to check my progress and Cat and Alex went to get Lester and Ranger.

"Alright Mrs. Costas you're doctor has notes in your chart you were already starting to efface a little bit, but you're only about 40% right now and only maybe 2cm dilated. When did you start having pain?"

"About an hour ago. I think this was more stress related to be honest. The nurse said my blood pressure was high, too." I admitted a little shyly. Cat was right. I needed to be here. Dammit.

"Well check it again shortly, it's always higher when you first come in, nerves and all. If it is early labor brought on by stress, it will probably take longer." The doctor told me sounding sympathetic, and I appreciated that.

"Just great."

"It's good that you came in when you did though, being a little early. Were also going to give you a steroid shot to help increase the baby's lung development. You're all hooked up now, so you can walk around, just be mindful of the monitors, this one will keep track of your contractions. Well check your progress again in about half an hour. And your doctor should be arriving not long after that." The doctor seemed nice enough.

The nurse came in and explained the steroids and stuck the needle into my thigh which hurt worse than any normal shot should.

I was sitting on the side of the bed, one hand rubbing small circles on my belly. The motion was relaxing me.

I wasn't sure what to say to Ranger. I'd had a little bit of time to calm down and think about everything. Cat was right. He was wrong in not talking to me first, but what he did was out of love. And I did love him. More than anything. I wanted him here. Especially now that I knew he felt the same way and wasn't going to look at me and our son like a burden or a mistake.

I knew we had a lot of things to talk through. I'd realized after leaving I had been immature in a lot of the decision I'd made and needed to grow the fuck up. Everything from burning the dining room table I caught Dickhead and Bimbo Barbie on to getting kidnapped, tossed over bridges, whatever. I made hasty choices that I thought was right in the moment and didn't think about the consequences of those actions.

I would say it wasn't my fault, and sometimes it really wasn't. But most of the things that happened to me was from me sticking my nose where it didn't belong or avoiding using the resources at my disposal due to stupid pride. I was so hellbent on doing things on my own and proving I could do them, I never stopped to think about alternatives.

If I had gotten the training that I knew I needed, I could have defended myself better. I wouldn't get kidnapped as often. If I had kept my trackers on me, I would have been found before damn near dying in a cabinet. I would have been more physically capable of taking down my captures without rolling in garbage and being made the laughing stock of the police department.

I knew all of these things would have made me a better bounty hunter and if I was trained properly and good at my job maybe my mother and Joe wouldn't have given me so much crap about quitting. It probably would have raised my self-esteem, giving me the courage to actually get my own love life in order. Telling Joe we didn't work and telling Ranger how I felt years before everything fell apart and felt I had not other choice than to leave.

Now I knew. Old Stephanie was reckless.

Ranger loved me. Not just as entertainment or some other crap, but actually wanted to be with me. I was playing with the ring around my left ring finger when I heard his voice from the doorway.  
"That doesn't come off. It never should have come off in the first place." He walked over to me and sat down in the chair next to the bed.

"I'm sorry for throwing kitchen appliances at you." I said looking into my lap. I was ashamed for the way I acted.

"You didn't shoot me, so I'll take it as a win." He smiled a little.

"If you had just told me any of this, I never would have left. I left because I didn't want to be a financial burden and have my son grow up having the Burg think he was a mistake or anything less than perfect." I told Ranger

"He's a boy?" Ranger asked placing his hand on my belly. I put my hand on top of his and it felt warm and right.

"I actually don't know. I keep calling them a him, and Cat keeps calling them her. Alex sides with me too. We tried twice to get an anatomy scan and he was about as cooperative as you." I laughed.

"Doesn't matter, Steph, as long as you're both healthy." He had taken my hands in his and was rubbing small circles on the back of them with his thumbs.

A contraction hit and it felt stronger than the other ones. I stood up, keeping rangers hands in mine, but squeezing them. He took his right hand back and started doing deep massage on my back. It almost hurt but was relieving the tightness.

"It's almost over, see the lines on the monitor, they are going down." He pointed to the paper coming out of the machine the doctor told me monitored the contractions. It looked like a mountain but the little needle was going lower and lower. The pain and tightness finally eased up and I sat back down on the bed.

"When did you learn about this stuff?" I asked.

"Honestly? On the car ride over here. I spent that ten-minute drive googling everything I could about how to help with labor. Which isn't much so be patient with me. And please don't ask questions." He laughed. It was a first to see Ranger admit he didn't know something.

"I'm scared." I admitted. And he knew it was not just about the baby and the birth, but about us too.

"Me too. But I promise to never do anything without asking you first. And always support you no matter what as long as we can compromise. Steph, if you agree, I'm all in. No breaks, not back and forth, no engaged to be engaged bullshit." We both laughed at that. What a fiasco that was.

He lifted my chin so I had to look directly in to his eyes. There was no blank face. No anger, no resentment towards me, just chocolate brown eyes.

"This is it. Just you and me. Our family." He said and I had never wanted anything more in my life.

"I get to be Stephanie Plum again?" I was tired of faking. It was so much work keeping lies straight.

"No." That shocked me a little bit. Why couldn't I go back to being Stephanie?

"You'll be Stephanie Manoso. And our child will be…..what did you pick out for names?" I smiled a little.

"Well now that you're here, if you don't like them we have some time to think of something else. If it's a girl, Rosa Constance. I know your Abuela Rosa was special to you. And Connie cause without her we never would have met."

"It's perfect." He lifted my hand to kiss it.

"I was having a really hard time with boy's names. Alex already has Alejandro. Carlos was first pick, but the middle name stumped me. My dad's name was Francis and Tank was Pierre so those are both out. With Ricardo, I thought people would call him Ricky, and I have to admit I didn't really like it. Cuban and named Ricky?" I laughed.

"We don't have to name him after me, or anyone in our families, Babe. He can have any name we choose." I had felt the need to honor him since he wasn't here, but now that he is, I suppose he's right.

"I always liked Michael." Michael was one of those normal but biblical names I always loved. And it was never Italian enough for anyone in the Burg.

"You know Saint Michael is the patron saint of the military and police?" He asked me.

"I knew Michael was an Archangel from my years in Catholic Church, and considering I have family in the force and service, and I dated a cop for years, I suppose I should have known that."

"Not a widely known fact. How about a middle name?"

I thought about it in my head for a minute, how certain names would sound together,

"Michael Carlos Manoso, get over here!" I mocked yelled.

"Already getting yelled at before he's even born. Definitely my child." Ranger said looking slightly amused. Slightly worried.

"What were you like as a child? I know about the teenage years, but you never told me about anything else."

"I know I haven't been very forthcoming with information about my life. But I promise anything you want to know and I can tell you without threat of a court martial, I will." He promised and I knew he meant it.

"I don't want to know about anything mission related. I don't need to. I want to know who Carlos was, before the Army. What was it like growing up?" I didn't know much about Ranger's life before he became 'Ranger'. Hell I hardly knew anything about that life either.

"Well let's hope this is a little Manoso girl, because my sisters were perfect little angels. Always hard working, smart, respectful, obedient. Manoso men tend to run more on the wild side." He continued to tell me about his childhood and some of the antics he got into.

He was helping me through another contraction when Cat walked in with Lester and Alex in tow. Lester's eye was swelling and turning purple and neither of them looked too happy.

"How ya holding up? I see you're still here, so I'm guessing better?" Cat asked walking over to me while looking at Ranger.

"This sucks." I was gripping Rangers hand, and though I was getting used to the cramping pain, it still hurt like a bitch.

"Thank you Kelly, for taking care of her these last months." Ranger told her.

"Kind of weird having everyone call me Kelly again after so long." She said.

"Do I have to call you Kelly now? Or can I still call you Momma?" Alex asked.

"Never call me anything but Momma." She ruffled his hair.

Just then my OB Dr. Johnson came in the room.

"Well Samantha, looks like we have a full house again today." He ruffled Alex's hair. After the second ultrasound Alex came to, he and Dr. Johnson were buddies.

"Were going to get ready to check your progress again, so were going to need everyone but Sam out of the room please."

Ranger looked at me with a mix of please don't make me leave and you can't make me. I wasn't really sure how I was going to explain this one. According to Dr. Johnson I was Samantha and my husband died just before I found out I was pregnant. And Cat was already listed on my paperwork as my support persons.

And that made me think of a whole other set of problems. I wasn't Stephanie Plum having a baby. I was Samantha Costas. Any my son was supposed to have the last name Costas. My mind was going a mile a minute while the doctor and Ranger just stared at me.

"Sam?" Dr. Johnson was trying to get my attention.

I looked up at him with wide eyes

"Are you ok? Do I need to call security?" Dr. Johnson whispered to me.

"Um…Um…" I was looking around the room failing to think of something to say. The doctor was looking at me with concern and went to reach for his phone, I'm guessing to call security, so I just blurted out,

"This is the, um, baby's father. I'm Stephanie Plum. Long story. He can stay." I didn't really mean to blurt it out that way. Both Ranger and the doctor just looked at me while Cat and Lester giggled.

Alex was just plain confused. He looked like a puppy flopping his head to the side.

"Your name is Stephanie? And your husband is alive?" Dr. Johnson was also very confused.

"Long story?" I shrugged.

"We're going to need some kind of confirmation on that before filling out more paperwork, I guess, but that won't affect the current situation." He seemed to be more accepting of my crazy situation than I would have been.

"Mr. what's your name?" He asked Ranger while shaking his hand.

"Manoso." He responded.

"Mr. Manoso, if Sam, I'm sorry, Stephanie, was it?" I nodded." If Stephanie would like you to stay, that's fine by me, but you will have to change your clothing. You can't be in here while she gives birth covered in what smells and looks like motor oil."

Lester was giggling again from the corner of the room and Ranger glared at him.

Ranger looked down at his clothes like he had completely forgotten he was splattered with oil. It was still in his hair making it look wet and overly slicked.

"Let's get her checked real quick then we can decide if you have time for a quick run home, or if you will be sporting a pair of our fashionable hospital scrubs." The doctor told him.

Cat ushered Lester and Alex out of the room to wait in the hall as the doctor and Ranger helped me slide down and assume the position, I was all too familiar with at this point.

I knew it was irrational but being naked from the waist down with my legs straight up in the air with another man poking around down there was making me really self-conscious with Ranger here.

Sure, Ranger had had me in a similar position, more than once, and I'm pretty sure that position is what got me here in the first place, but it wasn't quite the same.

"Alright, you're about at 50% and maybe 2cm, which isn't much of a change from before. This is probably going to be a long first stage, I hate to tell you."

"How long?" I had heard horror stories about women being in labor for days and that was NOT something I was planning on doing. I would have a C-section before that happened.

"Hard to say, every birth is different. We'll avoid medical intervention for as long as possible and allow the body to do what it's supposed to. We will allow you to eat something small now, but after that its ice chips and popsicles. And Mr. Manoso you have plenty of time to go home and shower and change."

"Can I have someone bring me clothes and the use shower here?" He asked the doctor.

"I prefer you not if that is indeed motor oil." The doctor looked him over again.

"I'll stay, you and Lester can take Alex home and go shower and get fresh clothes and whatever else you need. There's a mall I'm sure you passed on the way in, in Strongsville. You'll find everything you need there. Here is my cell phone till you get your own, we will call if anything happens." Cat told him handing over her cell phone.

Ranger looked less than pleased but Cat told him, "Can't be here for the birth if you don't leave to shower now." And that seemed to motivate him to leave.

"Ok. Give me a minute." He told the doctor and Cat and they both left the room, leaving us alone again.

"I will be back. I won't be more than an hour. What would you like to eat?" He was playing with my now blonde hair.

"Do you like the blonde?" I asked. I was a little nervous he wouldn't

"It's not you, but yes, I like it if you do." Vague answer there.

He leaned down and put his forehead to mine and kissed me. Slow and sweet.

"Dibella's, across from the mall. A Cheesesteak. With fries." I smiled at him.

"How about a salad?" He smiled.

"I've had enough salad to last me a lifetime the last seven months. Bring me cheese and carbs."

"Yes, Ma'am." He kissed me one last time before leaning down to kiss my belly and walking out the room. Cat came back in and sat in the chair next to the bed.

"Well that looks promising." She smiled at me.

"So does you and Lester." I said.

"We almost got in a fight in the cafeteria."

Another contraction hit, they were getting worse. I guess that meant labor was progressing and I was actually thankful for it.

"Alright, breathe. Deep, slow, breaths." Cat said

"Tell me about the fight, keep my mind off it." I was trying to breath, but if I had something else to concentrate on it made it pass quicker.

"Ok, well he started in about how much we were going to love Trenton. I don't want to move to Trenton. I don't want to move to New Jersey. I have no interest in that, no offense. Alex has friends here and I like my house. I'm not moving!"

"Do you want to be with him? Ahhg." I was standing up now and slowly pacing. Between that and Cat talking it was helping keep my mind off it.

"Yes. But not in Trenton. Why can't he move to Cleveland? I like it here, more than I originally thought I would." I had to agree with her there, I did like it here, too.

The contraction was passing and I was able to relax again.

"So tell him that. Try to compromise. Lester will probably move anywhere you are, and there's enough crime and money in Cleveland that a Rangeman branch would be pretty damn profitable."

"Oooo, that's good. I can even make him think it was his idea." She had an evil grin on her face, it was a little scary.

Me and Kelly continued to talk till Ranger got back in almost exactly an hour. She decided to go back to being Kelly. It was confusing the hell out of me.

"You have another visitor." Ranger told me walking in while carrying a bag from DiBella's.

"Hector. I was wondering when he would show." I smiled. If anyone would follow Ranger to find me after finding out where I was, it would be him.

I took the bag and started scarfing down the sub before someone took it away from me.

Ranger just looked at me questioningly and I smiled. I was never sure if he knew about our monthly dinners, but it looked like no.

"He was at the house when we arrived. He's waiting in the living room." Ranger told me.

"You sure you want me to go?" Kelly asked. We had decided she could go home and spend time with Lester and Alex and Ranger would stay with me till things progressed further.

"We're good. And now I have Hector here, too." I smiled. The contractions were still like half hour to forty minutes apart and though getting worse, not progressing any closer.

She gave my hand a squeeze and smiled and glared a look at Ranger.

He gave her back her phone while she gave him a look a lot like her look of "You mess up and I'll beat your ass."

Kelly walked out and Ranger stood off to the side. Hector was practically running into the room.

"You are in trouble! How could you leave with mi ahijado and not tell me. And Lester told me you finally learned Spanish! I am so proud of you!" Hector was hugging me and gave me a kiss on the forehead.

"I'm sorry. I hope you understand why I left." I told him. He knew enough about me and Rangers relationship, I was pretty sure if anyone understood, it would be him.

"Are you going to let the pendejo step up?" He mock whispered to me.

"I am still your boss." Ranger scowled.

"I'm officially on vacation for a week. Tank approved it. So, not right now you aren't." Hector told Ranger with just the slightest hint of sass.

My eyes widened at the display in front of me. Hector stood his ground and Ranger eventually accepted he was right.

Right now he was just being my overprotective brother. And I loved him even more for it.

"What do you need? Anything." Hector asked me

"Ranger already brought me food." I said motioning to the empty bag.

"Fastest way to your heart." He laughed at me. I couldn't get mad, it was true.

"What about for the house? Do you have everything ready to go?" He asked.

"Yeah. Kelly insisted I have everything ready like two weeks ago. Which I guess now, in retrospect, she was right."

Hector was up and starting at my contraction print out.

"You're not progressing very quickly. How long have you been in labor?" He asked me.

"How the hell do you know about this stuff?" I asked.

"I was there for all three of Maria's bebes. You learn a thing or two." He smiled at me. I knew he was close with Maria, his cousin, and her kids but I didn't know he was there for all three of their births.

It was nice to have someone here who knew what was going on that I could trust. Ranger kept looking around the room and at me and his eyes were looking a little crazy.

I had only been in labor for about four hours at this point, but I had had enough.

"Estephania, this could take a very long time. You need to try and get some sleep now before they start getting worse. I will stay if you would like me here, but I think you should try to get some sleep for a little while." He told me. I knew he was right, but I don't think I could sleep in here if I tried. All the beeping and people not even the fact that it was broad daylight.

"He's right Babe." Ranger told me.

"Fine. What will you do?" I asked Hector.

"I will go make sure the house is perfect and cook lots of food for the next few weeks. Ella will also be bringing some with her and Tank and Bobby when they come out in a few days. They wanted to give you time first."

"My hero." I said to him. Ranger didn't seem to like that.

"Do you want me to call your Madre?" He asked. I hadn't actually thought about them yet. So much had happened in just the last few hours.

"Um, does anyone outside of Rangeman know?" I asked.

"Just us. And even then not all of Rangeman. The Burg will not get wind of it." He promised me, rubbing the back of my hand.

"Yeah. Just my mom and dad though. Grandma will call everyone she knows." I loved my grandmother dearly, but she was the worst of the gossip queens. I had figured out the last few months my grandmother was a great help with her Burg knowledge and gossip, but she also caused her fair share of problems. Stiva's being one of them. Lula was the same. She was always willing to go along and help but would leave when things got weird. Or scary. Or the police were involved. She had abandoned me more times than I should have allowed. I already knew I needed to change the way people treat me and I suppose this was a good first step.

"Ok. Well I do not want to keep you from resting, but you WILL tell me everything when you get home with my newest ahijado. I'll be back when you are ready." He kissed me on the forehead again and I was thankful to have such an understanding and caring friend.

"Te amo Hermano." I said to him.

"Te amo Hermana." He smiled at me before walking out the door.

"Hector was the one you were seeing at least once a month." Ranger didn't really ask as much as stated a fact.

"I kind of thought you knew." I smiled right as another contraction hit.

Ranger came over and started rubbing my back again.

"Hector is sneaky." Ranger commented.

As the contraction came and went, I decided to take the doctors and Hectors advise and try to get some rest. Ranger refused to leave and stayed in the recliner next to the bed, reading everything he could about labor and delivery.

The contractions were still 30 minutes apart and I was only able to sleep for 20 minutes at a time. It felt like eternity.

Around 3 p.m. the doctor came to check on me again, and I wasn't much further than I was the last check. He just told me to "hang in there" and I wanted a toaster to throw at him, too.

By 7 p.m. I'd given up on sleeping. The nurse told me I could only have small foods and liquids. Thank God I ate a massive sandwich for lunch.

My new night nurse suggest I try walking the halls, and brought a ball for me to bounce on at Ranger's request.

"It's like one of those things we had when we were kids, just with no handle." I joked at Ranger while bouncing.

"It supposed to help move the baby further into position and loosen the pelvis." Ranger told me.

"How much time have you spent googling since we got here?" I asked bouncing up and down. It was kind of fun and a break from being in bed with everything beeping at me.

"When you are finished bouncing, were going to try rocking on your hands and knees." He said before looking at his phone again, "It's supposed to encourage faster dilation and effacement." He said.

"Screw the ball, how do I do that?" I was excited there was something I could try to get this process moving faster.

Ranger showed me pictures on his phone of what to do and helped get me into the position.

"Didn't you read any of the books or articles about birth and labor?" Ranger asked me, and I felt stupid for not doing so.

"I honestly kind of hoped it would just happen and I wouldn't have to worry about any of it. I never imagined I would be here like this, especially you being here to help me. I thought Kelly would be here and she would know what to do and tell me what was going on." I had been in denial about the whole birth process and liked it there.

Another contraction hit, and it was a few minutes before I was expecting it. It felt about the same but the fact that they were finally coming quicker meant things were finally starting to move forward.

Ranger helped me rock back and forth for a while before we decided to go for a walk. The maternity ward was small and I couldn't leave, but it was better than my little room.

As he helped me through another contraction and unhooked things to be hooked back up to the waking unit the nurse showed him earlier, we started our stroll around the maternity ward.

"So are you going to keep the ring on?" Ranger asked me after our first lap around.

"Depends. Are you going to force me to stay locked in your brick fortress and never see the light of day again?" I smirked. He joked about handcuffing me to things before and as fun as that sounded now, I knew he would really do it if he felt I was in danger.

"Over the last few months I've been told I'm a little too controlling when it comes to you. And I see now how someone could think that." Ranger admitted almost embarrassed. This was a whole new side of him and I was loving it. Batman's human side.

"Bruce Wayne was just a human man, Babe. With lots of money and lots of tech toys."

"Dammit, I was doing so good about not saying stuff out loud anymore."

"Don't ever stop. How else am I supposed to know what's going on in there?" He kissed the top of my head.

We continued to walk while I thought about it. Could I really be Stephanie Manoso?

The thought of marriage after the Dick made me break out in hives and start to hyperventilate, but not now. I could see my life with Ranger, and as fairytale as it seemed, I knew there would be difficult discussions and compromises neither of us really liked, but I could see it. And I was happy in it. I knew there really never was another option for happiness, and that's one of the reasons I left. I looked up at Ranger after making the second lap.

"Were going to need to expand seven." I didn't really care if we stayed on seven or moved somewhere else, but I knew he would understand what I was saying.

"Babe." He half whispered before grabbing both sides of my face and kissing me hard, right in the middle of the maternity ward.

There were whispers and cat calls and my cheeks instantly turned red. I hung my head and started walking back to my room.

"Done already?" Ranger asked me.

"I just have to pee. Again." I told him while closing the bathroom door. I loved the man, but there was no way I was letting him see me on the toilet.

As I finished up in the bathroom and started walking out another contraction hit, this one lasting longer than the last and felt slightly more intense.

"They are getting stronger and quicker" My new nurse Becky told me. I didn't like Becky. She was perky and happy and looked like she was the cheerleader in Highschool.

She was also constantly staring at Ranger. I know the man is like a God, carved out of granite, but I'm the patient and I was losing my patience with her.

"The doctor is going to come in again to check on you in a few minutes. You can keep all your walking monitors on if you'd like but go ahead and get on the bed." She told me.

I knew this was going to be another, different doctor and I was less than pleased another person was getting up close and personal with my hoo-ha, so when Dr. Johnson walked in, I was pleasantly surprised.

"Thought I gave up on you, did you?" He smiled at me surprise. It was well past 9 p.m. and I had thought he would have gone home.

"I did go home, but it's Monday, the Browns aren't playing, and my wife has her mother visiting till Wednesday. Having a patient in labor is an awesome excuse to get out of the house." He laughed.

"Let's see how things are going here." He said looking at the contraction readout from the last few hours.

"Alright now, lets do a quick dilation check." I slid down into position and felt just as red faced as the first time as Ranger stood off to the side.

"We're getting there. I'd say about 80% and maybe 4 centimeters. It's slow but its progress and that's what we want to see. If things stall, we'll have to jump start your labor again with oxytocin and were going to try and avoid that."

"So, there's a drug that will speed this up? Why have I not been given this already?!" Now I was getting pissed.

"It's not always effective and new research finds it to be unnecessary in most cases. Adding any medication isn't without its risks, including its own risks to the baby."

Damnit.

"I know we talked about an epidural, but you'll be confined to bed once its administered, and the walking and other measures are showing they are helping. I suggest you hold off on that as well."

"From my understanding she should be able to walk after an epidural." Ranger asked. He really was googling for a while.

"This hospital policy states no. It can increase her fall risk, and any falling in her stage can be dangerous, so we avoid it. I can't tell you what options to choose but I can inform you of the risks involved with them."

Ranger and the doctor started talking about risks with epidurals and other pain management options and the more I learned the more I concerned I was. Not about the risks themselves, but that Ranger was going to try to talk me out of it.

"Mr. Manoso. As much as I appreciate your interest in the matter, its ultimately Sam's, I mean Stephanie's, decision. You have no legal say in the matter."

HA! Yeah! Go Dr. Johnson! I was smiling, and Ranger looked pained. Crap.

"Labor is still early stages and slow so I'm going to suggest a small amount of Ambien. It wont effect you or the baby negatively, and will help you sleep for a while. It will be a very small dose so if you start having stronger contractions, those will wake you up."

"Thank you." I told him. Sleeping sounded awesome right now.

"I'll be here through the night if only to avoid my mother in law. I would never wish a three-day labor on any woman, but in this case, I would be forever grateful." He smiled at me and Ranger before leaving.

"I will rip this child from my body before I stay in labor for three whole days." I gritted through clenched teeth as another contraction came rippling through me.

"I want to talk about the epidural risks" he said while rubbing my back.

"I know the risks, I just heard all about them. Still happening." I was used to the contraction pain now and able to work through it without too much effort.

"Stephanie, "I cut him off before he could finish.

"_You_ are not the one having your insides squeeze every twenty minutes. The squeezing will only get more frequent and stronger. _You_ are not the one having a human attempt to squeeze out of an opening the size of a bagel. _YOU_ do not get to make this choice."

Ranger didn't look happy but didn't say anything to argue against me either. It created a weirdness between us suddenly and now I wasn't sure how to deal with it.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you." I said getting back up to walk around some more.

"No. You're right. This is your body and you have the choices here. Not that I would, or could, force you on this, but I promised we would compromise more. You are allowing me to be here and be a part of this, but its not me going through it." He was being very understanding. It was weird.

He helped me up off the bed and we continued to walk around for another hour. Then bounced on the ball and rocked on my knees. The contractions were still about fifteen minutes apart by 1 a.m. and I wasn't progressed much further.

"Ok. I'm going to try to sleep a little more. I'm exhausted." I told Ranger climbing back into bed. I hit the call button on the bed and had the nurse bring me the Ambien. She said I could ask for it whenever I was ready. Ranger didn't look much better either. He laid back into the recliner and closed his eyes, holding my hand as I laid in the bed.

I must have finally fallen asleep for more than twenty minutes when I was woken up by one hell of a squeeze from my lower abdomen.

The sun was shining through the curtains and Ranger was wide awake.

"How long was I asleep?" It was hard to imagine sleeping in here at all, much less long enough for the sun to come up.

"Almost seven hours. I was shocked you stayed asleep through the contractions. They are getting to be less than ten minutes apart." Ranger told me.

I had never taken sleeping pills before but I could see how people got addicted to them.

A knock came at the door and Ashley came walking through. Thank God. I hated Becky.

"Good morning, Stephanie. Let's do quick vitals check then you have a very handsome little visitor waiting to see you."

She checked the blood pressure, fluids, monitors, all the fun stuff and shuffled little Alex into the room. He wasn't allowed to be in labor and delivery but he somehow managed to sweet talk his way in here again. I'm sure the fact that Dr. Johnson thought he was adorable helped.

"I thought the baby was gonna be here?" He looked so disappointed.

"He's taking longer than he should." I told Alex as Lester and Kelly came over to say hi.

Me and Kelly talked for a while with Alex and Lester and Ranger could be heard talking about prospective Cleveland Rangeman branches. They both agreed it needed more research and would look into it further while Lester roamed around the city for the next few days.

They only stayed for about half an hour, telling us they would be around the area today and to call us if anything happened.

Another contraction started right as they were leaving. Lester waked over to give me a hug to leave and I felt this slight pressure and warm wetness start running down my legs, creating a small puddle on the floor.

Alex started laughing and Lester looked down at his now wet boots.

"I don't want to know what that is but were going to buy new boots. Now." Lester said looking down at his shoes in disgust. Kelly laughed and walked out of the room to get Ashley my nurse.

"Did your water just break?" Ranger asked looking slightly pale. I honestly wasn't 100% sure if that was my water breaking or if the baby just jumped on my bladder, making me pee myself.

"Alright, now were getting somewhere!" She said as she walked in the room.

She grabbed some medical pads to soak up the fluid and shooed out Kelly, Lester and Alex.

"You don't have to lay back down for this if you don't want to but were going to test just to make sure that's amniotic fluid." She said grabbing a swab out of the medical cabinet.

She swabbed between my legs and the tip turned bright blue. I guess that meant yes.

"Alright, I'll give Dr. Johnson a call and let him know, then he'll be back up to check you again. This is progress, so fingers crossed it won't be too much longer now." She told us before walking out the room.

Ranger want saying anything just standing there. I was now feeling embarrassed and I could feel the flush rise in my cheeks.

"Um, I know this isn't exactly sexy, and you can leave whenever you want to. You don't have to stay here for this. Kelly was going to be here anyways so if you guys want to take Alex and go…."

"Babe, No. I'm sorry. This is all new to me. I'm just not sure what to do here and didn't have adequate time to research and make contingency plans." He was talking like this was a takedown.

"You know I'm very calculated. If this had been planned I would have spent months researching and creating SOPs and none of it would have mattered cause its you." He laughed. I knew he was right. I didn't exactly give him time to prepare for this.

Just then another contraction hit, much quicker than expected. We waited another hour for the doctor to come in and the contractions were now only five minutes apart and felt like they were ten times worse than before.

Ranger rubbed my back and said soothing things in my ears and at first it was everything I wanted. As more time and contractions went by I wanted nothing more than to throw more things at him.

Ashley came in to tell us Dr. Johnson was held up with another patient but would be in soon.

"What the hell is taking him so long?" I yelled at Ranger.

"You're probably not the only woman in labor today, Babe." I know he was being rational, but it wasn't helping.

"Why are they getting closer and closer so fast? I thought this took longer."

"Active labor is different for everyone and some lasts longer than other. This is good Steph, it means it's getting closer."

I had originally planned on getting an epidural and after thinking about it last night and hearing Ranger didn't want it and all the other risks, I decided against it. I know its probably totally safe but this was something Ranger felt strongly about. I knew I could do it.

Maybe

A few more minutes went by and Dr. Johnson finally came in.

"Ashley tells me your contractions have kicked up considerably, and your water broke on its own, so lets take a look and see where you're at."

As I got into the position, I was no longer embarrassed. I couldn't give a shit who saw me like this right now. My insides felt like they were being torn apart.

"Well that was quick." Dr. Johnson said.

"How far?" Ranger asked.

"I'd say about 7. We've got a little longer to go. The contractions will be stronger and much quicker. Get ready. Some take as little as twenty minutes, some take hours, but you seem to be progressing quickly though stage two and three so I'm going to get ready and I'll be back in twenty.

The doctors left and Ranger went into prep mode. He got the bed ready for me and started rummaging around in my bag for the blankets and clothes and all the other stuff that was set aside. I just stood there dazed.

"Babe, are you ok?"

"No. I'm not ready. It's too early. I was supposed to have another three weeks. Maybe more. The doctor said It might even take longer and I was banking on that extra week or two to mentally prepare myself for this."

"Steph. You've had almost nine months to prepare for this. It's happening weather you are ready or not. I'll be right here through everything." His words were calm and steady, but his eyes weren't his usual stoic pools.

"You're freaking out too?" I asked him. I could see it in his face. Usually it was blank or showed little emotion, but I could see it.

"No. I'm getting prepared." There was a slight sheen to his chest and forehead even though it was a comfortable 65 degrees in this room.

"Don't fucking lie to me right now. Shit!" I was double over as Ranger came running around the bed.

"Yes. I don't know how to help you here and I don't like seeing you in pain. I've had" He checked his watch "roughly 36 hours from finding you, to finding you pregnant, to you're about to have the baby. This is I how manage stress. I prepare. I focus on a task."

I was having a hard time focusing on anything other than the pain. These contractions were so much worse. It made the ones earlier feel like period cramps.

As it passed, I was finally able to relax again, but not for long as another one came less than two minutes later.

Ashley was in the room, waiting on the doctor and gave Ranger some tips to help me and positions to help with the pain. She suggested a bar in the bed to labor since the squatting position seemed the most comfortable.

I was in the bed now as Dr. Johnson came in about 20 minutes after he left. He check me again and I was already at almost 9 centimeters.

I knew I didn't want to be one of those women who cried and cried and said they couldn't do it and it was too hard and blah blah blah. I knew I wanted to be stronger than that, but I was having serious doubts about that now.

I went through another fifteen minutes of contractions before I felt this ungodly feeling of needing to push this thing out of my body.

"Alright Stephanie, it's go time. On the next contraction, take a few deep breath and push. Bear down and focus on it." Dr. Johnson told me.

Ranger and I were both quiet. Nothing to really say at the moment. He was holding my hand and wiping the sweat off my face and doing everything he was supposed to be doing.

After fifteen minutes of pushing I was losing my patience. Ranger was holding my left hand and I was suddenly pissed at him.

"This is all your fault!" I screamed at him while reaching my right hand up to punch him.

Ranger being Ranger, he dodged the punch and looked frightened. I never swung at him before, well except for stuff yesterday. He didn't say a word and never let go of my hand.

"You can't be bothered to play by your own fucking rules. You'd think you'd learn after Julie to be more careful. ARG!" My insides were rebelling against me and I could see the actual contractions in my belly.

"Focus Stephanie. Push." I kept pushing and following the doctors orders for another ten minutes.

"Why is this taking so long?!" I was pushing for almost a half hour and hadn't expected it to be like this. I thought this part was quick.

Ranger climbed into bed behind me and grabbed the backs of my knees. I wasn't as mad at him as I was ten minutes ago, but he still hadn't said much.

"Stephanie, you are the strongest woman I know. You can do this all day if that's what it takes. And I promise you it will all the worth it when its over." He whispered in my ear and his confidence in me gave me renewed energy.

I grabbed the bar, leaning forward with Ranger holding onto my knees. I waited for another contraction and pushed as hard as I could. I could feel the head starting to crown and was glad there wasn't a mirror to see. I didn't want it and sure as hell didn't want Ranger watching that. He may never have sex with me again after this. Not that I was every going to want to have sex after this.

"This baby has a full head of black hair." Ashley smiled to Ranger.

As the next contraction hit the doctor instructed me to push longer and harder. I kept pushing and pushing as I felt everything in my neither regions start to burn. Then I felt a slight release of the pressure.

"Heads out. Few more and well finally see who wins the bet." Dr. Johnson told me.

"A few more. Ok. I can do this. Ok." I was mentally trying to pump myself up.

"Babe, I love you." Ranger whispered behind me and it gave me everything I needed on the next contraction to push.

I felt the shoulders and the rest just slide right out like a wet gross mess and the doctor lifted him up for us to see.

"Looks like you and Alex win." He said holding onto my son while Ashley wiped him off and clamped the cord.

Ashley then took my gown and helped me unbutton the front as the doctor had Ranger cut the cord and then laid him down on my chest.

He was perfect. Black hair and deep dark blue eyes. His face was Ranger and skin was a mix of us both. He was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen in my life.

"Why hasn't he cried yet?" I asked Dr. Johnson getting worried.

"Some don't. He looks good, but well double check everything in a few minutes."

"He's amazing. You are amazing." Ranger was still behind me looking at our son. I wish I could see his face right now as he ran this thumb over the black slick hair.

We sat there for a few minutes just taking everyone in. The baby just started at me and Ranger and didn't make a sound. He looked at us taking everything in and closed his eyes and started to fall asleep.

"It's been a busy afternoon for him. I'm going to get him cleaned up, weight, measured, printed and all that fun stuff." Ashley told me as she took him from my arms.

"We still have a few more things to do here Stephanie." Dr. Johnson told me.

"Go with him." I told Ranger and he was off the bed following Ashley and our son to the other side of the room.

I delivered the placenta, got cleaned up and Ranger placed him back in my arms in less than 10 minutes.

"Seven pounds, ten ounces. Nineteen inches long. Big baby for three weeks early." Ashley told me as she took my cell phone off the counter and took a picture of me, Ranger and our son.

"Do we have a name for baby boy?" Ashley asked filling out tags for wristbands and basinets.

"Michael Carlos Manoso" We both said at the same time.

Ashley helped us get situated and Michael cried for the first time almost a half hour after he was born.

Ashley helped me get into position to breastfeed for the first time.

"This feels weird." I admitted. I didn't not like it, but it was weird.

"Yeah, you'll get used to it though. My first I thought I wasn't normal and couldn't do it and then it was like second nature by the end of the first week. Round two was even easier." She laughed.

Ranger hadn't taken his eyes off me or Michael and wasn't saying anything. Ashley walked out and said shed be back soon to check on us.

"I love you." He whispered to me and kissed me and then kissed Michael's forehead.

We sat there watching Michael eat from me for over forty five minutes as he drifted off and eventually fell of my nipple.

"That was by far the most exhausting thing I have ever done." I laid my head back on to the pillow and the last two days came crashing down on me. Michael was here. He was safe. He was fed and asleep in my arms and now I could barely keep my eyes open.

"You were amazing, Babe. I'll take Michael, so you can get some sleep. I already sent Lester a text and Kelly insisted they wait till you say you're ready."

"I don't want to sleep. I want to stare at him."

"You can stare at him when he wants fed again in two hours." Ranger lifted him off my chest and my arms fell to my sides. I watched at he took our sleeping son and sat down in the recliner next to me.

I was getting ready to say something when Ranger said to me, "We won't go anywhere, I promise."

I smiled and stared at the sight of the love of my life holding our son and thought how perfect everything finally was. After months of pain and turmoil and questions, I finally had answers and commitment and everything I never knew I wanted.


End file.
